


Fifteen Years, Eight Months

by dapperyklutz



Category: Kingsman (Movies), Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Background Merlin/Roxy Morton | Lancelot, Best Friends, Everyone can see it but them, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Humor, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Inspired by a Movie, Jealousy, Kingsman Family, M/M, Masturbation, Mutual Pining, Roxy Morton Is a Good Bro, Slow Burn, Tailor!Harry Hart, Team as Family, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Use of derogatory slur (only once), as in... slowest of slow burn... i'm not even kidding, background Lee/Michelle, background Percilot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2018-06-07 00:21:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 67,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6776476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dapperyklutz/pseuds/dapperyklutz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eggsy Unwin is ten years old when he meets Harry Hart for the first time. It was dislike at first sight, but because life is an unexpected curveball, Eggsy finds himself developing an odd but genuine friendship with the kind and gentlemanly tailor of Savile Row.</p><p>This is not just a love story. This is also a story of love and life, of heartbreak and loss, and of family and friendship - told through a series of events that spans fifteen years and eight months.</p><p>This is Eggsy and Harry’s story.</p><p>(Loosely based and inspired by the 1989 film <em>“When Harry Met Sally”</em>)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Now this, this was a beast to write. In between work and family, I rarely have the time to just sit down and write at my own pace. But I'm so happy and proud of myself for managing to finish the first part of this story. And yes, sadly this is not yet a complete fic, but as you read this I am currently writing the second and last part, which will prove to be a bigger beast to write.
> 
> I have always wanted to write a Kingsman/Hartwin version of "When Harry Met Sally", but with a couple of twists of my own. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. It is, after all, a labour of love.
> 
> In this version, Eggsy is 10 (b. 1991) and Harry is 35 (b. 1966) when they first meet. This part is pre-slash, so I hope you will eventually forgive me for the slow burn. It'll all be worth it in the end, I assure you.
> 
> All mistakes committed are mine, and I aim to rectify all of that once this story is complete.
> 
> Right. Now let's get this show on the road. Happy reading!

  
_"Harry, you're going to have to try and find a way of not expressing every feeling that you have, every moment that you have them."_  
\- Sally Albright; When Harry Met Sally (1989)  


#### Year 1 (2001)

Eggsy is ten years old when he meets Harry Hart for the first time.

He remembers his dad mention a few colleagues coming over to their house for a game of poker that night after dinner. At first, Eggsy wasn’t particularly okay with the idea of having a bunch of strangers entering their home because Thursday nights at the Unwin house means Boardgames Night, and Eggsy loves boardgames. Unfortunately, his moping and pouting couldn’t stop his father from chuckling and ruffling his hair fondly.

“This sucks, dad,” Eggsy whines. He crosses his small arms across his chest to prove his point.

“S’alright, Eggsy,” Lee says with a crooked smile. “Next time, I’ll tell ‘em not to schedule on a Thursday.”

 _They better not_ , Eggsy thinks to himself sullenly.

However, later that night when Lee’s colleagues from the Kingsman tailor shop starts to arrive, Eggsy can’t help the spark of curiosity upon seeing them. They were all dressed in bespoke suits, but a man who introduced himself to Eggsy as James was dressed in a checkered beige suit with a forest green pocket square to complete his ensemble.

“He’s the worst-dressed out of all of us,” remarks another man named Alastair.

Eggsy figured he was just teasing because James rolled his eyes in exasperation before shooting his friend a warm look.

Later, Eggsy is introduced to a tall, bald man known as Merlin (what parent names their child Merlin, even? Eggsy wonders), and a shorter, dark-skinned bloke called Tristan. So far, they were pleasant and friendly to Eggsy, and the young boy can see how close they are to Lee; his father comfortable in his ripped jeans and black Henley shirt while his colleagues - friends - didn’t seem to mind that they were overdressed.

“What time is Harry arriving?” the dark-skinned tailor - Tristan - complains.

“It’s like you haven’t worked with the man for the past eight years,” comments Merlin with a snort. “He’s never on time for anything.”

“Any time now, I hope,” Lee grumbles under his breath.

From his position in the living room where he’s packing up the Scrabble board, Eggsy can see his dad and his friends drinking beer and throwing nuts at each other. If Eggsy’s mum were home, she would reprimand them for dirtying her floor. But fortunately for them, Michelle’s on duty tonight at the hospital, and so Eggsy counted that as a win for them.

Eventually, the doorbell rings, and as Eggsy is closest to the front door, he calls out to his dad that he’ll get it. He crosses over the threshold and unlocks the two bolts before swinging the door open to welcome the last guest in.

Now, there’s nothing different or special about the man standing in front of Eggsy, but the young boy can’t help but blink in surprise and crane his neck up so he can meet the man’s eyes and not his stomach.

“You’re late,” Eggsy deadpans.

The man, wearing a grey pinstriped suit with his dark-brown hair perfectly coiffed and carrying an umbrella in one hand, merely raises an eyebrow and peers down at Eggsy.

“I am well aware of that, yes,” the man replies with a small upwards curve of his lips.

“My dad’s been waitin’ for you for almost twenty minutes, mister,” Eggsy states as bluntly as a 4-foot-6 10-year-old can, who’s still blocking the entry to his home.

He doesn’t know why but he finds himself irked at the stranger. Eggsy can’t put a finger as to why, but he supposes it boils down to the fact that it’s a Thursday and it was supposed to be Boardgames Night.

If the man is surprised at Eggsy’s remark, he hides it perfectly. But Eggsy also observes how the man doesn’t hide his bashful look.

He ducks his head slightly and says, “I truly apologise for my tardiness, but I had to attend to Mr. Pickle first before I could come here.”

“Mr. Pickle?”

“My dog. He’s getting old, you see.”

Eggsy is still regarding the tall man through narrowed eyes when Lee finally emerges from the dining room with a worried expression.

“Eggsy? Who’s at the door?”

Before Eggsy can reply, the man glances up and, upon seeing Lee, allows an embarrassed smile to grace his face.

“Harry! What are you doing outside? Come on in!”

Eggsy moves to the side while his dad moves to open the door wider to welcome the man - Harry - in.

“Your son was reprimanding me for being late,” Harry explains easily with a small smile. He appears amused as he deposits his umbrella on the umbrella stand. “I was just explaining to him that I had to attend to Mr. Pickle first.”

Lee raises his eyebrows and lets out a surprised laugh. He looks down at Eggsy who looks the least bit sheepish, and Lee can’t help but ruffle his son’s hair playfully.

“Well, Eggsy, it seems you’ve already met Harry Hart,” Lee says with a fond smile at his son before reverting his gaze to Harry. “Harry, meet my son Eggsy. He’s still a bit miffed that Boardgames Night got cancelled ‘cos of Poker Night.”

Understanding dawned on Harry’s face but that doesn’t stop him from bending to his knees to be on the same level as Eggsy, who’s still shyly looking at the ground and huddling close to his dad’s side.

Eggsy peeks at him through his lashes and Harry smiles his dimpled smile before offering his hand to the smaller boy.

“Hello, Eggsy. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Harry says warmly, though there is still a trace of amusement in his chocolate brown eyes. “I’ve heard a lot of great things about you from your father.”

It takes a few moments but Eggsy takes Harry’s large hand in his smaller one and shakes it twice before letting go.

“Hi,” he mumbles shyly. “Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Harry.”

“Oh, please, just ‘Harry’ would do, dear boy.”

Lee chuckles, and after planting a kiss on top of Eggsy’s thick mop of blond locks, he straightens and gestures Harry to the dining room.

“C’mon, mate, everyone’s in there now,” Lee states. Then he turns to Eggsy and adds, “Go finish your homework and wash up before bed, Eggsy. I’ll come check up on you after an hour.”

This time, Eggsy rolls his eyes at his father before saying, “Sure, dad. An’ you better clean up after, you don’t want mum to shout at you for messin’ up the floor again.”

The last he hears before he goes up to his room to wash up is Harry chuckling and his dad sputtering behind him. Eggsy doesn’t know why, but he finds that he likes the sound of Harry’s laughter far more than any of his dad’s colleagues’ laughter.

* * * 

Two months later, Lee has to go on a business trip to Seoul to meet with a client who wants Kingsman to tailor suits for an up and coming K-Pop band.

“How long’s it gonna be?” asks Eggsy over dinner on a Friday night.

He’s gotten used to his dad travelling since he was seven, but despite that it’s still not easy coping with the distance and absence of a parent.

Lee meets Michelle’s eyes before focusing on his son. “At least a week - two at most, if the client is inclined to discuss about the contract and what-not. Don’t worry, Eggsy, I’ll be here to watch your play. I promised, didn’t I?”

Eggsy doesn’t pout, but he doesn’t look completely happy about the news either. “I know you did, dad. I’ll hold you on to it.”

To know that he means business, Eggsy puts his fork down and raises his pinky with a serious expression. Michelle giggles but Lee grins and doesn’t hesitate to raise his hand to curl his larger pinky around Eggsy’s.

* * * 

The following Tuesday, Eggsy’s sitter had to cancel at the last minute. She had called Eggsy’s mum, who’s in the middle of her shift at the hospital that day, to apologise and say that she won’t be able to pick up Eggsy, and won’t be available for the rest of the month due to a family emergency that she has to tend to at the soonest possible time.

And that’s how Eggsy finds himself being picked up at school by none other than Harry Hart on a Tuesday afternoon.

“Mr. Harry?” Eggsy asks, puzzled at his dad’s colleague’s presence at the public school.

Harry approaches him, a kind smile etched on his face. He greets him when he nears Eggsy.

“Hello, Eggsy. Your mother called me earlier to ask to pick you up today. It seems that your sitter won’t be around for the rest of the month because of a family emergency.”

“Oh.” Eggsy shuffled his feet, adjusting his backpack as he cranes his neck up at an uncomfortable angle just so he can meet Harry’s gaze. “Are you gonna drop me off at home or at mum’s workplace, then?”

Harry raises his eyebrows in surprise before he chuckles and shakes his head.

“Ah, no, I’m afraid not,” he replies with a small smile. “I’m taking you with me back to Savile Row as it’s still fairly early in the day and your mother won’t be off-duty for another couple of hours.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Savile Row, huh. Eggsy had never been to Kingsman before, and even though his dad has been working there for three years, Lee never once entertained the idea of bringing his son to his workplace. But it looks like that will change now, and Eggsy allows himself to feel excited at the prospect of finally entering the posh building.

He’s always been interested in the process of creating things from scratch, so maybe this is a great opportunity for Eggsy to see firsthand how suits are created.

“- you want to go now?” Harry’s voice filters through and Eggsy momentarily forgets that he’s still there.

He sees Harry smirk, knowing that Eggsy wasn’t really listening to him, and the young boy finds himself turning pink at getting caught. He swallows his embarrassment and nods his head instead.

“Yeah, let’s go now.” Eggsy adjusts his backpack again and follows Harry to his sleek convertible. He glances up at Harry and then asks excitedly, “Will you show me how you make suits, then? Dad keeps tellin’ me it’s a tedious job, but that it’s very rewardin’ once it’s done.”

Harry opens the passenger door to let Eggsy in, and once Eggsy is settled in, Harry smirks and shakes his head.

“Not today, Eggsy. I promised Michelle I’d look after you and help you with your homework.”

Eggsy groans and utters that it’s unfair, but the only response he gets is the door being closed shut and Harry’s muffled laughter.

###### 

#### Year 2 (2002)

The first time Eggsy realises he has a crush, it’s during English period in the cold month of December before school closes for the remainder of the year.

“Uh-oh,” he mumbles to himself, back ramrod straight and eyes wide as he stares unseeingly at the chalkboard in front of him.

“Is everything alright, Mr. Unwin?” asks Mr. Dancy, their English teacher and apparently, Eggsy’s crush.

The thirty-something man is tall and lean, with dark hair and striking blue eyes hidden behind thick rectangular-rimmed glasses. It also doesn’t help that Eggsy’s teacher is fond of wearing tight, checkered dress shirts, the muscles of his well-toned arms and torso noticeable for everyone to see.

And ogle, in Eggsy’s case, now that he’s finally put a name to the weird fluttery feeling he’s been feeling in his stomach for the past couple of weeks.

Or months.

Not that he’s counting.

Eggsy belatedly realises he was asked a question when Mr. Dancy addressed him once more, his expression etched in mild concern.

“Er - yes, Mr. Dancy. Just, uh, excited for the holidays, s’all.” Eggsy smiles and then averts his eyes from his teacher; afraid of the flush he can already feel spreading across his cheeks and neck.

Mr. Dancy still looked skeptical, but thankfully he dropped it in exchange for addressing the whole class by giving them homework to do over the holidays, much to the disappointment of the students.

Except Eggsy. He grins at the prospect of writing another reaction paper to impress his teacher. But that doesn’t mean Eggsy doesn’t enjoy it; regardless of his newfound crush or not, English is his strongest subject.

* * * 

“Harry?”

“Yes, Eggsy?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

It’s the third day of Eggsy’s Christmas break and the young boy is currently at Kingsman, helping his father’s colleague sort the fabric in the storage room.

Lee had to go on a last-minute trip to Paris to meet with a client and will be gone for another two days while Michelle is on-duty at the hospital. And because Eggsy stopped having a sitter two years ago after it was proven that Harry and the other Kingsman tailors are capable enough to look after him just fine.

Except for James, though. Michelle is still pretty miffed at the exuberant tailor for convincing Eggsy to skip class one day to go to a fair, just because. Lee found it hilarious at first but eventually reprimanded James’ actions after his wife gave him the stink eye. And of course, that also didn’t stop them from grounding Eggsy for a week.

Such fun.

“I’m pretty sure you can ask a question, dear boy,” Harry responds with a small smirk.

Eggsy huffs and rolls his eyes. Adults.

“Fine. _May_ I ask you a question?” Eggsy inquires after handing Harry the tape measure that fell to the ground. The older tailor accepts it with a grateful smile.

Eggsy is sitting on the high stool, legs swinging back and forth, as he observes Harry turn his back to him to deposit the tape measure in a drawer when the older man says, “Of course you may, Eggsy.”

It takes the twelve-year-old a few moments to gather his thoughts before he voices his thoughts.

“Is it okay for other boys to, uh, like other boys as well?”

His voice is timid, shy, and Eggsy completely misses the startled look on Harry’s face as his gaze was focused on the carpeted ground.

Harry slowly turns around to face Eggsy, and then leans against the table behind him with an exhalation of breath.

“May I ask why you’re asking me this question?” he asks lightly, head tilted slightly.

Eggsy bites his lip, thinking whether he should tell the truth or make up a story. He’s now wondering why he decided to ask Harry about this and not his parents. Maybe it’s because Harry has grown to become his friend, of sorts, and he’s a very kind and understanding person. Not to mention that Harry helps Eggsy with his homework, especially in Maths, and picks him up from school whenever his dad is away on a trip or his mum is unable to pick him up because of her shift at the hospital.

So, mind finally made up, Eggsy decides to go with the truth. No matter how terrified he feels right now.

“Promise you won’t freak out?” Eggsy chews on his lower lip, unable to stop the slight tremor in his voice. “And promise you won’t tell mum and dad about this?”

Harry’s looking at him with a concerned expression now, brows furrowed in contemplation but ultimately he nods his head in agreement. “I promise.”

Eggsy releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding, shoulders sagging in relief as he nods back.

Right. Here goes nothing.

“IjustrealisedI’mcrushingonmyEnglishteacherandhe’sabloke.”

_Well, that wasn’t so bad now, was it?_

Harry blinks at him in confusion. “You… have a crush on your teacher?”

Eggsy nods emphatically, eyes wide and boring into Harry’s face that is now impassive.

“Yeah, bruv.”

“Your English teacher.”

_That’s what he just said._

“Uh, yeah.”

“Who’s a man.”

Oh, bloody hell. This was probably a bad idea. He should’ve just kept his mouth shut.

“That’s what I just said, innit?” Eggsy scowls at the ground, missing the slight twitch of Harry’s lips.

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to make sure I heard the right thing.”

Eggsy looks up then, sees Harry smiling at him, and the young boy sighs in relief for the second time. He avoids the older man’s warm eyes, choosing to look at the mannequin instead.

“Well, say somethin’, bruv,” Eggsy hears himself speak, tone laced with nervousness.

He’s still staring aimlessly at the mannequin when he hears Harry speak, the older man’s voice soft and kind.

“Eggsy, it’s okay to like someone of the same gender. There is nothing to be ashamed of.”

Eggsy whips his head to look at Harry, wide and frightened blue-green eyes meeting warm and understanding brown ones.

“I - I - there isn’t?” he asks in a small voice. _But I’m afraid_ , he adds to himself but Harry clearly knows him well enough to read between the lines.

Harry shakes his head. “Not at all, my dear boy. It’s perfectly okay to be afraid - you’re only human, after all. And now that I understand why you asked me that question in the first place, here’s my answer: yes, it’s okay for boys to like other boys. However, I’m afraid that the ugly side of it - and I’m telling you this now because I’d rather not sugarcoat a delicate topic such as this - is that not everyone you’ll encounter in life will be okay with it.”

Eggsy’s face scrunches up in confusion.

“Buy why not? I mean, I know it’s weird - I still find it weird myself, but I’m startin’ to get it now - but it can’t be all that bad, right? I mean - I can’t be the only person who feels this way. Right?”

“You’re not.” And Harry says it with so much conviction that it renders the young boy speechless for the moment. “I assure you with utmost confidence and sincerity, Eggsy: you’re not the only person who feels this way.”

There’s silence, but thankfully not an uncomfortable one. Eggsy averts his eyes from Harry’s once more, focusing instead on his lap. Harry remains quiet but his calm and open expression remains, and whether it’s because he doesn’t know what to say or he’s waiting for him to speak first, Eggsy doesn’t know.

Eventually, the silence becomes too much. Young kids like him aren’t exactly known for their patience.

“Will my parents still love me if I tell them?”

Eggsy must’ve said or done something wrong because when he glances up at Harry, the older man’s face takes on a slightly broken look. Before he can ask what he did wrong, or even apologise, Harry crosses the room in three long strides to place his large hands on Eggsy’s small shoulders.

“Whether you like girls or boys, your parents will always love you, Eggsy,” Harry says firmly with a squeeze of the young boy’s shoulders. Eggsy still looks uncertain, so Harry smiles kindly at him and adds in a conspiratorial tone, “Alright, I’ll let you in on a secret: I’m certain that they will understand and will accept you. Trust me.”

And Eggsy does. He does trust Harry; he’s learned to trust the older man over the years. Eggsy started from initially disliking the man for disrupting Boardgames Night (that’s still going on, by the way, and he’s starting to improve in Scrabble) to opening up to the older man about another part of Eggsy he’s recently discovered that not even his mum and dad know about yet.

That’s quite a leap, if Eggsy says so himself, but it’s not enough to quench the fear that’s still simmering at the pit of his stomach.

“But what if they don’t?” he asks, and he hates how his voice quivers. “What if - what if they don’t think I’m normal? What if I’m not worth -”

“Now you stop right there, Eggsy Unwin,” Harry interrupts firmly but his expression remains warm-hearted, and Eggsy obeys immediately. “You are normal, regardless of the gender of the person you like. You are just as entitled as the next person, and don’t you ever - ever - let another human being question your own worth. And yes, that includes your parents, dear boy. Do you understand?”

Eggsy reluctantly nods his head, his young mind still wrapping around everything Harry’s just told him.

“Yeah, okay,” he mumbles, and when Harry finally allows a smile to grace his face, Eggsy can’t help but shyly smile back.

“Good.”

“Thanks, Harry,” Eggsy utters sincerely after a moment.

“You’re welcome, Eggsy.”

“I know I’m still young to feel this way an’ to completely understand these things,” Eggsy continues with a small frown. “But I really appreciate this. A lot. You’re the only person I can trust with this, an’ I’m sorry I forced you to promise me something you’re probably not okay with.”

Harry’s gaze softens, and he squeezes Eggsy’s shoulders once before letting go, the latter almost instantly missing the warmth and safety the older man’s touch provided.

“Eggsy, you have my word that I won’t tell a single soul about your secret,” Harry remarks genuinely. “And, my dear boy, nobody is too young to have feelings for someone else, but it does take maturity - and experience, I’m afraid - to fully grasp the complex matters of the heart. You’ll get there, eventually.”

And with a wink, Harry pats Eggsy’s head and turns to leave the storage room.

Eggsy stares at Harry’s retreating form, a boyish smile forming on his lips as he ponders on how lucky he is to have a friend like Harry Hart.

###### 

#### Year 3 (2003)

The month after he turns thirteen, Eggsy receives his first kiss from a girl named Portia. She was a year older than Eggsy and was dubbed the most sought-after girl in her year. True, she’s easy on the eyes, but she’s not exactly Eggsy’s type. Well, she’s not Eggsy’s type at all, period. Portia had straight blonde hair that was always braided, electric blue eyes that changes colours depending on the cardigan she wore, and a thin figure most girls in Eggsy’s year envied.

And she also happens to be in Eggsy’s gymnastics team, which is when she decided to take initiative and plant a wet, sloppy kiss on Eggsy’s lips after the young teenager helped her with her schoolbooks.

“What the fuck!” Eggsy yelps, dropping the schoolbooks and brusquely pushing Portia away from him.

The young girl, too shocked to react, just gapes at him for a few seconds before she scoffs in indignation.

Fortunately, before Portia can make a scathing remark (Eggsy thinks he’s probably the first bloke to react like that, ever), their coach interrupts them.

“Unwin!” the burly man calls out as he nears the two teens. “Watch your language, boy. You know I do not tolerate that kind of behaviour.”

“But, coach -“ Eggsy starts indignantly, ignoring the smug look that takes over Portia’s face.

What an ugly hag, Eggsy thinks darkly, his fists clenched by his sides.

“Enough,” his coach states with a glare. “Now go change and start your warm-ups. We have a long afternoon ahead of us.”

Eggsy grits his teeth and nods, and then he turns away from his coach and Portia to stomp towards the changing room. He has a feeling today’s training is going to be a bitch.

* * * 

So of course the first person he opens up to about the incident is none other than Harry Hart.

And the older man’s only reaction is to raise his eyebrows in surprise and mildly ask, “How was it?”

Eggsy abruptly halts in his task of sorting out the ties to gape at his friend.

Seriously? He tells him how Portia basically assaulted him without his consent and he’s the one who gets in trouble for cussing (for fuck’s sake), and all Harry has to say about that is -

“How was it?” he repeats incredulously, still gaping at the tailor. “Are you takin’ the piss, bruv? She assaulted me!”

“She kissed you,” Harry corrects with an eye-roll. “You’re both teenagers, Eggsy. You’re in that stage where you get to, erm, experiment. It’s perfectly normal, dear boy.”

“Yeah, well, it ain’t normal for me,” Eggsy grumbles under his breath as he turns away to carry on with his task. And then he adds, “And she assaulted me, alright? Can’t believe she just… took that away from me.”

He doesn’t see Harry’s puzzled stare but Eggsy can hear it in his voice when the older man asks, “Took what exactly, Eggsy?”

This time, it’s Eggsy who rolls his eyes when he states in a matter-of-fact tone, “As much as I hate to say it, she was my first kiss, Harry. She took away the one thing I was saving for someone - er, well, someone I liked enough to kiss, I guess.”

It’s nice that he gets to open up to Harry about these things. It’s been a couple of months since he’s told Harry about his newfound interest in boys, and throughout that time Harry has carefully listened to his rants and patiently answered his questions - no matter how shy and awkward it made Eggsy feel. There’s only so much the Internet can give you, and it’s not like he can just use the PC as he pleases. His mum is very strict on his schedule when it comes to using the computer but it’s fortunate that Eggsy’s learned to clean his search history.

He doesn’t know how his parents will react if they find out his search history includes phrases like _‘real life stories of boys liking other boys’_ and _‘term for boys liking boys’_ , or questions like _‘is it okay for boys to like other boys?’_ and _‘what is gay sex?’._

That last question made Eggsy blush so hard he almost destroyed the mouse from closing the tabs he had opened.

“Hmm,” Harry hums thoughtfully from his working station. “Did you kiss her back?”

Eggsy looks at Harry with a ‘are you joking?’ expression before he answers.

“Of course not! I pushed her away the moment she did that!”

“Well, then technically she’s not your first kiss,” Harry states with a shrug.

The young teen looks at the tailor with a dubious expression this time. “What do you mean, ‘technically’?”

With a huff, Harry drops his scissors to meet Eggsy’s curious green eyes.

“If you look at it this way, Eggsy, she kissed you. You didn’t kiss her back, so technically it’s not your first kiss.”

The cloud that was hanging over Eggsy’s head for the past couple of days evaporated almost instantly upon hearing those words. Not noticing that he just dropped a three hundred quid tie, Eggsy’s face breaks into a grin as he turns his body to fully face Harry.

“So you mean to say that I can still have my first kiss?” he asks excitedly. It’s stupid, he knows, to be this hung up over a first kiss (Christ, what his mates Jamal and Ryan will think of him), but it matters to Eggsy. A lot. “Well, technically,” he adds with a lame shrug.

“Yes. Technically.”

Harry gives him a warm grin and a wink, and Eggsy feels a hundred times lighter than he felt that morning when he woke up.

“You’re the fuckin’ guv’nor, Harry!” he exclaims before he picks up the discarded tie on the ground. “Aw, crap, Andrew’s gonna kill me if he sees there’s dirt on the tie.”

“Language, Eggsy,” Harry reprimands him with a stern look. “We may be friends but that doesn’t mean I’ll let you get away with cursing.”

Eggsy just pouts and blows a raspberry at him in return.

* * * 

It’s a month after Eggsy’s unfortunate first-kiss-but-technically-not-first-kiss when he meets Roxanne Morton.

She had recently moved in with her brother Alastair after her parents insisted she attend a private school for girls near Savile Row. Luckily, Eggsy happened to be in the break room doing his homework when James dropped her off before leaving to meet with a client.

And boy, what a first meeting it was.

“But please, call me Roxy,” she says after she introduces herself to Eggsy at the Kingsman shop’s break room one day after school.

“Nice ta meet you, Roxy,” Eggsy shakes her proffered hand with a tentative, boyish smile. “My name’s Eggsy an’ my dad works here.”

If possible, Roxy’s smile widens by a fraction.

“You’re Eggsy? I’ve heard so much about you from Uncle Al and Uncle James!” she exclaims happily. At Eggsy’s confused look, the shorter teen giggles and explains. “Uncle Al is my eldest brother and he’s engaged to Uncle James. Every time they visit us they always talk about work and I always hear Uncle James talking about an Eggsy. So, you must be him.”

Eggsy blinks, still processing the information just given to him.

“Well, I - er - yeah, I’m Eggsy,” he finishes lamely with a shrug. Suddenly, he startles and asks a little disbelievingly, “Hang on - James and Alastair are getting married?”

“Of course they are,” Roxy says with a bemused smile. “That’s what people in love, who are engaged, do.”

“I didn’t know,” Eggsy mumbles, feeling a pang of betrayal that he was not informed of this.

He thinks of Harry, and how he opened up to the older man about (mostly) everything, and he couldn’t be trusted enough to be filled in on this? James and Alastair are also his friends - though, yes, he’s not as close to the two compared to Harry - but he’s grown an attachment to the two tailors over the years. And Eggsy likes to think that James and Alastair feel the same towards him, but he’s not certain of that now.

“Are you okay, Eggsy?”

Eggsy snaps out of his thoughts to look up at Roxy, her face scrunched up in mild concern. The young teen blinks and then waves off her concern.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” he reassures with a wide smile. However, Roxy raises an eyebrow at him and seriously now, they’ve only just met. How is it possible that that look has already had an effect on Eggsy? “Okay, so maybe I wasn’t informed that James and Alastair are -“

“Getting married?”

“Gay.”

“Oh.” They both say in unison.

Neither speaks for a while, the silence awkward for Roxy and uncomfortable for Eggsy.

“I’m sorry,” Roxy says quietly. “Uncle James and Uncle Al speak so highly of you that I automatically assumed… well. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you didn’t know.”

There’s something about this posh girl that makes Eggsy like her more. Maybe it’s her sincerity, or maybe it’s the way she treats Eggsy like a normal human being, unlike those other posh people he’s encountered since he’s started hanging around the Kingsman shop. Of course, Eggsy shouldn’t have expected less of his new friend (they are friends now, though, right? Right?), considering that his uncles are good people.

And gay too, Eggsy’s mind supplies, still shocked at the revelation. He’s known them for close to four years and he didn’t know a single clue about their… er, more intimate relationship.

Eggsy supposes those meaningful looks make more sense now.

“Nah, don’t be,” he eventually says with a half smile. “I’m sure there’s a good reason I wasn’t told. I’m just not sure why.”

Roxy smiles and raises a delicate hand (Eggsy detects a hint of vanilla) to pat his shoulder in comfort.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad. What’s the worse they could say?” she says reassuringly.

Eggsy only smiles back, but it feels fake.

In the end, Eggsy doesn’t bother to confront Harry about it, and nor does he ask his dad about the true nature of James and Alastair’s relationship. Although, if Eggsy decided to spend more time with Merlin - the shop’s accountant - than with Harry for the next week and a half, much to the latter’s bafflement, then that’s Eggsy’s business.

###### 

#### Year 4 (2004)

“Wow.”

“Not really, but I get what you mean.”

“Don’t be an arse. I’m actually not that shocked, just… surprised that I was right.”

“What? Right about what?”

“Well, about you being gay, obviously. I had an inkling you were.”

“You’re takin’ the piss, Rox. I can’t have been that obvious.”

“You weren’t, Eggsy, I assure you.”

“Oh.”

“…”

“So what gave it away?”

“…”

“…”

“Two months ago. You were practically drooling over Viggo Mortensen’s character when we watched Return of the King at the cinema.”

“Oh, now you’re takin’ the piss!”

“I swear I’m not!”

“He’s a great actor! Of course I’ll be admiring him!”

“Eggsy, you were making googly eyes every time Aragorn was onscreen.”

“…”

“Pouting doesn’t suit you, you know.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“Language.”

“Oh, piss off.”

“Right, and who’s gonna listen to your monologues about your hot English teacher, huh? Definitely not Jamal and Ryan, whom you haven’t told about your sexuality yet.”

“…”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.”

“You’re aces, Rox, you know that, right?”

“Oh, I fucking know.”

###### 

#### Year 5 (2005)

 **Eggsy**  
guess who just got a mobile phone on their birthday!

 **Eggsy**  
that’s right! me!

 **Harry**  
I’m sorry - who is this?

 **Eggsy**  
you taking the piss, bruv?

 **Harry**  
I assure you, I’m not.

 **Harry**  
So I’ll ask again - who is this?

 **Eggsy**  
it’s Eggsy…

 **Harry**  
Oh! Hello, Eggsy. Happy birthday, dear boy.

 **Eggsy**  
thanks, harry! :-D

 **Eggsy**  
and thank you for the gifts as well! fucking love it to bits!

 **Harry**  
Language, Eggsy.

 **Harry**  
And you’re welcome. Do use it well.

 **Eggsy**  
ok, dumbledore. :-P

 **Eggsy**  
im pretty sure shakespeare and austen will help me in HS next yr, tho.

 **Harry**  
Still, it never hurts to read in advance. I’m sure a certain English teacher will appreciate that.

 **Eggsy**  
uh, no. not really, harry. mr. dancy’s leaving next semester and he’s engaged, anyway. :-(

 **Eggsy**  
but it’s ok! cos there’s this new kid in school. his name’s charlie and he’s a bit of a dick, but he’s cute, so.

 **Harry**  
Language, Eggsy.

 **Harry**  
At least he’s in your age group this time. That’s good.

 **Eggsy**  
hahaha no, harry! he’s two years ahead of me. :-P

 **Eggsy**  
anyway, i have to go. mum’s calling me to clean up before bed.

 **Eggsy**  
good night, harry! and thanks for the books! see you soon, bruv. :-)

 **Harry**  
Goodnight, Eggsy. You’re welcome again and sleep well.

* * * 

“So, how are things?” Roxy asks as she takes a sip of her iced chocolate. “I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

Eggsy shrugs nonchalantly and takes a bite of his cheese croissant; not giving a care of the crumbs that falls on his shirt. He slowly chews his food as he observes his surroundings. The cool air messes his blond locks as the café he and Roxy are currently at bustles with the mid-afternoon rush of customers on a Saturday afternoon.

It’s been two weeks since they saw each other because of school, and a lot had happened in two weeks. Well, for Eggsy, anyway. As always, his dad is currently away on business - Amsterdam this time - and his mum is on her usual shift at the hospital. Honestly, though. Come to think of it, Eggsy surmises that he spends seventy-five percent of his time at the Kingsman tailor shop and with Roxy more than he spends time with his parents. It’s not that he blames them for having the kind of career they have, but at the very back of his mind, Eggsy wishes they made more time for him. Of course, Boardgames Night still happens, but not as often as he would want it to be. Plus, his parents bought him the latest Playstation console, and Eggsy can’ help but admit that video games are more fun than boardgames. But only when you want to play alone.

“Been busy with school, s’all,” Eggsy says with another shrug. He takes a sip of his lemonade, still avoiding Roxy’s inquisitive eyes. “How ‘bout you? How’s everythin’ at your end?”

Roxy narrows her eyes slightly but responds to his question. “School’s great, although the number of girls who care more about what they wear than what they put in their brain is increasing each semester.”

Eggsy snorts. Finally, he tilts his head to look at his friend, who only smirks back at his playful grin.

“You’re a right menace, you are, Rox,” Eggsy comments, and he laughs when Roxy flicks a crumb at him.

“At least it got you to look at me,” Roxy responds, her tone more somber this time. “What’s bothering you, Eggsy?”

Before Eggsy can utter an excuse, the hazel-eyed girl beats him to it.

“And don’t you dare lie because I will know,” she warns with a stern look.

Eggsy gulps and raises his hands in surrender.

“Okay, you got me,” he sighs, shoulders slumping slightly in defeat. He’s silent after that, but Roxy waits patiently for him to speak. It takes another minute and a half before Eggsy finds it in himself to open up after weeks of bottling it in. “I accidentally came out in school.”

Roxy’s eyes widened in shock, her jaw becoming slack as it falls open upon hearing Eggsy’s mumbled confession.

“Oh my God.”

“Yup.”

“Oh, Eggsy,” Roxy says, and she places a comforting hand on top of Eggsy’s clenched one. “How did it happen? Why did it happen? You can talk about it with me, you know. You don’t have to keep it all inside.”

Eggsy finds himself smiling at that, and he looks up at Roxy with a fond look. He turns his clenched hand and squeezes his friend’s smaller and thinner one, choosing to show rather than tell her how much it means to him to have her support and friendship.

Roxy understands, of course, for she smiles and squeezes his hand in return.

With a deep exhale, Eggsy gathers his thoughts and finally tells her everything that’s happened since they last saw each other.

It was during lunch hour on a Wednesday when it happened. Eggsy was with Jamal and Ryan in their usual table when Melinda - the girl in Eggsy and Ryan’s Maths class, blatantly asked Eggsy out on a date. Eggsy had politely said no, but Melinda was offended and demanded that Eggsy give her a reason why he couldn’t go on a date with her. And in typical Eggsy fashion, the young blond rolled his eyes and told her that it wasn’t that he couldn’t but that he doesn’t want to, as she’s not his type. Which then led to Melinda accusing Eggsy of ‘probably not into girls after all’, when Eggsy - annoyed and fed up beyond reason at this point - blatantly told her (and the whole cafeteria because of how loud his voice was):

“That’s right. I’m not into girls - I’m into boys. So if you got a problem with that, then piss the fuck off.”

The reaction to Eggsy’s sudden confession was, for lack of a better word, catastrophic.

He received after-school detention for a week for his use of foul language. On top of that, his coach found out of his ill-timed confession and thus suspended him from the Gymnastics team “upon further deliberation” the very next day. Eggsy also told Roxy of how he told Harry of the incident at school, how Harry was compassionate and sympathetic to him and advised him to come clean to his parents about his sexuality and what really happened in school.

“”Cos I told my mum and dad that I had to stay an extra hour in school because of gymnastics,” Eggsy explains to Roxy, who then frowns at him in disapproval. “Yeah, I know, it’s a horrible thing to do - lying to your parents - but it’s not like I have a choice, Rox!”

“You always have a choice, Eggsy,” Roxy replies in a serious tone. “And Harry’s right. You have to tell your parents about, well, everything. One way or another, the truth is going to come out in the open. No pun intended.”

Eggsy rolls his eyes. “You’re just as bad as Harry, he basically said the same thing! Well, minus the no pun intended part, because he’s a posh arse who definitely intended that pun.”

“You guys have the oddest friendship,” Roxy mentions as she shakes her head, but there’s a smile that’s starting to bloom on her pretty face. “But still, Harry’s right, Eggsy. You can’t keep the truth from your parents. In fact, it’s unfair to them that you’re keeping this while your friends are aware of it.”

Well, when put into perspective, what Harry and Roxy are saying does make sense. Keeping such an important part of Eggsy’s life from his parents is unjustifiable. The two most important people who have been there for him from the very beginning of his life deserve to know the truth. But that doesn’t mean it makes it easy for Eggsy to just come clean to his parents after hiding from them for almost five years.

It won’t be easy, but it has to be done.

“It’s not gonna be easy,” he says quietly, idly rubbing the condensation from his glass.

Roxy nods in agreement and squeezes his hand once more. “It won’t, but you have to.”

“I know. Doesn’t mean I’m looking forward to their reactions, though.”

“Eggsy, I’m pretty confident no human being has ever felt at ease with coming out to their parents. Trust me, Alastair was a wreck when he came out to mum and dad.”

Upon hearing Roxy’s older brother’s name, Eggsy’s lips quirk up, and he looks up at his friend with hope in his eyes.

“Yeah? How did that go?” he asks, curious.

The hazel-eyed girl just shrugs and says, “He was a nervous wreck, and sweating in places I never saw him sweat before. But he pulled through. Afterwards, I told him how he did and he said that it’s because he was confident that our parents will still love and accept him, regardless of the gender he prefers. That sometimes, all you need is a little faith in the people you love - especially your family, because they would put the same faith in you if they were in your shoes.”

Eggsy nods, vaguely remembering Harry telling him that he was confident Eggsy’s parents will still love him, even if he came out as gay.

Come to think it, maybe Eggsy should’ve followed Harry’s advice from the start. But what’s done is done, and it’s not like he can turn back time to do it all again. He already made his choice and this is the outcome to his decision. All he has to do right now is to man the fuck up and face the music.

“You’ve always been a confident person, Eggsy,” Roxy continues, her eyes piercing into the young blond’s. “And right now, you have to find that inner strength I know you possess. You’re never going to know what’ll happen if you don’t take that leap of faith.”

“You’re too wise for me, bruv,” Eggsy comments with a lopsided smirk.

Roxy rolls her eyes and swats his arm.

“But thank you, though,” Eggsy’s tone sobers then, a genuine smile gracing his sun-kissed face as he playfully pinches Roxy’s cheek, much to the latter’s mild indignation. “I needed that pep talk.”

“What are friends for?” Roxy winks.

Eggsy’s smile stretches to a grin.

Yeah, he definitely needed that push.

* * * 

**Eggsy**  
harry you awake?

 **Harry**  
Hello, Eggsy. Yes, I am.

 **Eggsy**  
are you busy?

 **Harry**  
No. Is everything okay?

 **Eggsy**  
no. i dont know.

 **Eggsy**  
can I call you? please?

 **Harry**  
Alright. I’ll call you, though. I have more minutes than you.

Eggsy only has to wait for two seconds before his phone vibrates, Harry’s number in flashing in the screen briefly before he accepts the call.

“Eggsy?” Harry says on the other line when he’s greeted with silence. “Eggsy, are you there?”

“H-Harry,” Eggsy responds shakily after a beat. His unoccupied hand, the one that’s not currently grasping his phone like a lifeline, is curled into a fist in his sheets.

Harry is silent, but he eventually inquires in a soft voice, “What happened, my dear boy?”

It takes a fraction of a second before Eggsy feels his chest constrict and the sob that he’s been trying to keep under control for twenty minutes finally breaks. His body wracks as he sobs as quietly as he can, breath hitching every now and then as he tried to get a word out. He stops trying to speak when he hears Harry in his ear - Harry who has been a constant presence of comfort and friendship in his life since he was ten - gently tell him to let it all out, that he’ll still be there when Eggsy is finished.

So he cries. Eggsy cries like he has never cried before, and the painful clench in his heart is excruciating. He finds himself lying in bed and curling into a ball, fat tears cascading down his swollen eyes and cheeks as he whimpers. Distantly, he hears Harry making soothing noises and softly telling him words of comfort. It doesn’t really help ease the emotional pain Eggsy is feeling at the moment, but it does help abate the sense of loneliness and rejection he feels right now.

It takes him fifteen minutes to stop sobbing altogether, and another five minutes to calm down and gather his bearings.

He’s still curled into a ball, quietly sniffling into his mattress, when he hears Harry speak once more.

“Well, the sheets are definitely soiled by now,” the older man quips in a light tone.

Eggsy lets out a wet snort, and he makes a disgusted noise when he feels mucus drip down his nose.

“Ugh, I hate you,” he grumbles, voice raspy from his crying.

He can hear more than see Harry’s smile as he says, “At least you can string a sentence now, dear boy.”

Eggsy lets out a chuckle and then gets up. After cleaning his face with a hand towel he finds in his sock drawer, Eggsy sits back on the bed with his back against the headboard. He’s quiet for a long moment.

“I finally told my parents,” he confesses quietly, fingers playing with the threadbare of his pillowcase.

Harry gently replies, “I take it you told them everything?”

Eggsy nods. “Yeah. Everything.”

“And I assume it did not end as well as we hoped it would?” Harry adds. If possible, his tone becomes gentler.

Eggsy finds himself smiling unconsciously, and he feels a traitorous tear fall down his cheek. Harry said ‘we’, not ‘I’. As if Eggsy’s problems are also Harry’s problems. And that they’re some kind of a dynamic duo right now. Though, it’s Harry who’s done more for Eggsy as a friend, but the older tailor often reassures Eggsy that his friendship and trust is more than enough. Eggsy doesn’t understand what he did to deserve such a great friend in Harry Hart, but he’ll be damned to fuck to this friendship up. His life’s been pretty shit, lately, and he has no intention to botch up the most important friendship he has in his life.

He feels another tear fall, and he wipes it away with a quiet sniffle.

“Yeah, it didn’t,” he says. Harry remains silent on the other end of the life, as if waiting for Eggsy to continue. So he does.

It was Boardgames Night and they were playing a round of Scrabble. Unsurprisingly, it was Eggsy’s mum who was winning by thirty-five points. They were playfully ribbing each other, Eggsy throwing a tile or two to interrupt his parents shameless flirting while Michelle and Lee tease Eggsy mercilessly for using words he’s recently learned. It’s after the game when they’re packing up the board game when Eggsy finally finds the guts to come clean to his parents.

He first tells them the truth of the incident at the cafeteria nearly three weeks ago. He also confesses to them about his immediate suspension from the gymnastics club, and how Coach Randall still hasn’t made a decision on whether or not to keep him in the team. From there, he tells his shell-shocked parents of Portia assaulting him (“‘Cause there was no consent, yeah? She had no right to do that!” he had exclaimed heatedly). He also mentions in passing the day he met Roxy, and how his friend dropped an unexpected truth bomb on him about the nature of Alastair and James’ relationship.

And finally, he tells them what he should’ve told them from the start:

“What I’ve been trying to tell you after all these years is that… is that I’m gay. Mum, Dad, I know this is a huge shock for you, guys, but I hope you can learn to accept this. I’m still me! I’m still Eggsy. It’s just… I really prefer blokes. And it ain’t a phase, yeah? I’ve tried before to - to stop liking boys. But I can’t. And I don’t want to pretend to be somethin’ I’m not. So… yeah.”

It was the most uncomfortable experience in Eggsy’s life to date - the atmosphere in the living room stifling and the silence deafening. What’s worse is that his parents never spoke a word all throughout his explanation. Michelle looked ashen while Lee’s jaw was clenched so hard Eggsy feared his dad was about to combust any moment then.

But he didn’t. Neither of his parents said anything, except:

“Go to your room now. We’ll discuss your punishment tomorrow,” from his dad.

There was no understanding or acceptance in either of his parents’ faces. As Eggsy relayed to Harry the aftermath of his confession, he admits to the older man that he felt a part of him break.

“Mum couldn’t even look at me,” he mumbles. He blinks back tears and rubs his nose, feeling considerably lighter after telling Harry everything but somehow still miserable. “Dad just got up and left for the kitchen. I couldn’t just stand there, ‘Arry. So I… I just left. Went to my room, texted you, an’ now I’m talkin’ to you.”

It’s after he blows his nose and wipes it clean when he hears Harry’s voice in his ear.

“I don’t know what to say to make you feel better, dear boy,” the tailor admits in a hush tone. For some reason, Eggsy’s heart cracks a bit when he hears the sadness in his friend’s voice.

“To be honest, ‘Arry, I don’t think anything anyone tells me right now can make me feel better,” the teen says. He exhales heavily and then stares out his window to look at the clear, midnight sky outside. “This - everythin’ fuckin’ sucks right now, yeah? But, well, I have you. I also got Roxy and my friends in school. And to some extent, I think I also have Merlin, James, an’ Alastair. That matters to me more than I can say, really.”

By some miracle, Harry elects to not chastise Eggsy with his language, for the older man tells him in a fond tone, “Oh, Eggsy. You’ll always have us. Especially me. And don’t you ever forget that.”

Eggsy bites his lip, feeling the familiar pressure in his chest. For God’s sake, he’s shed too many tears tonight.

“You promise?” he utters, and Eggsy hates how his voice breaks mid-sentence. He clears his throat then. “Because if you break it and leave me, I promise to hate you for the rest of my life.”

It’s an empty threat, obviously, but Eggsy can’t help the desperation he feels just then. He can’t lose him. He can’t lose Harry - not his best friend. His first best friend. He’s already on the brink of losing his parents after tonight. And Eggsy thinks he doesn’t know what he’ll do with his life if he also loses Harry.

He’d definitely go mental.

“Eggsy,” he hears Harry calling his name. Eggsy mentally shakes his head and focuses on his friend’s soothing voice. “Eggsy, listen to me, dear boy. There is a higher chance of having a worldwide genocide than of me leaving you.”

The blond teen wrinkles his nose in distaste. “That’s just rank, bruv.”

Harry chuckles, and it makes Eggsy smile to hear his friend laugh. He seldom does.

“You’re my best friend, you know,” Eggsy breathes out quietly. And call it his intuition, but he feels more than hears Harry freeze at the end of the line. “I mean, Roxy’s also my best friend, but like - you’re my first and best, best friend. I’ve told you stuff I never told another soul, and I trust you a lot. I - you get what I mean?”

“Yes, Eggsy,” Harry replies warmly. “I do, in fact, get what you mean, dear boy. After all, the sentiment is reciprocated.”

It’s like the wheels in his brain come to a standstill upon hearing those words.

“What?”

Harry chuckles at Eggsy’s confusion, and so the older man explains in simpler words:

“Eggsy, you’re also my best friend.”

“You’re takin’ the piss,” Eggsy says faintly, though his lips are tugging up at the corners as a grin starts to grace his slightly blotchy face. “Me? Mr. Posh-As-Fuck’s best friend?”

“Now you’re making me regret ever admitting it,” Harry replies with a groan, but Eggsy can picture the lopsided smile that always graces the older man’s face when he’s in a playful mood. But then he ads, “Also, mind your language.”

Eggsy rolls his eyes. “We just officially became best friends, ‘Arry. I think it’s high time you stop tellin’ me to mind my language, bruv.”

“Hmm, that may be true, but as your best friend, I have the right to call you out when you use such language.”

“Aw no, it’s just gonna get worse, isn’t it?” Eggsy groans into his pillow.

Harry snorts. “I’m afraid it’ll only get worse from here.”

“Bit weird, though, innit? I’m, like, more than twenty years younger than you. Yet I’m your best friend. Heh.”

Eggsy giggles when he hears Harry groan.

“Now that you’ve vocalised it, I feel ancient. That’s it, we should revoke our best friendship.”

“You can’t do that!” Eggsy squeaks, and he hates how his voice breaks. Fucking puberty.

“Oh, but I can,” Harry says somberly, but his tone remains light and teasing. “But fortunately for you, I care about you more than I care about my age. Fuck that, life’s too short to worry about the little things, Eggsy.”

Eggsy guffaws loudly, and then tries to stifle it with his pillow so his parents won’t hear him from across the hall.

“You just cussed!” he whispers loudly. “Oh my God, ‘Arry, I’m such a bad influence on you.”

And Eggsy then hears the most wonderful sound he’s ever heard: Harry’s laughter ringing loud and clear against his ear. He finds himself grinning broadly, because he said something funny to make his best friend laugh. And it’s such a fantastic sound, too.

“You most definitely are, Eggsy,” Harry manages to say between bouts of laughter. “You most definitely are.”

And that’s how Eggsy spends the rest of his night, talking and trading horrible jokes with the older tailor. It doesn’t really stop him from worrying about the next day and what his punishment will be. Hell, he doesn’t even have a clue on how to act around his parents after his coming out. But he has Harry in his life. And right now, his best friend is doing what he always does best, what he’s been doing from the beginning: be there for Eggsy.

###### 

#### Year 6 (2006)

Eggsy welcomes the New Year with great and horrible news.

The great news:

After coming out to his parents, it only took his mum three days before she sat Eggsy down and told him that it doesn’t matter if he likes boys or girls, because he’ll always be her baby Egg (apparently, that’s how Eggsy became ‘Eggsy’) and she wants nothing but the best for him. Of course, it took his dad longer to accept Eggsy’s sexuality. It wasn’t until Harry stepped in (without Eggsy’s knowledge at first) and gave Lee a Very Serious Talk that eventually led the older Unwin to sit Eggsy down and give him his version of a Very Serious Talk.

In the end, Eggsy and his parents patched up in no less than a month. And Harry’s still his best friend, which is a huge bonus because now he can cuss whenever he likes in the older man’s presence without Harry reprimanding him, except for an eye roll or a stern look every now and then. But hey, Eggsy counts that as a win.

But of course, the way of life has two sides to it: the good and the bad. With every good thing that happens, there’s bound to be something bad that will happen in return. It’s just the way it is, apparently. Circle of life or some shit like that. And it’s with a brokenhearted Eggsy who returns home from school on the first day back that he breaks the news to his parents, who are fortunately still on their vacation (so unfair).

“Coach Randall kicked me out of the team,” he says dejectedly. His mind is still reeling from what his coach told him at lunch period, and to be frank, Eggsy’s too numb to process everything right this moment. God, don’t even get him started on the bullying. “Said that he can’t have a faggot in his team ‘cos that’d mean parents of the other gymnasts would complain to him why a kid like me is in it.”

“He called you what?” Lee growls with a furious expression.

Michelle calms her husband down with a comforting hand on his arm. Though the concerned (and also furious) look on her face is more controlled as she turns to look Eggsy.

“He called you that, Eggsy?” she asks in a tender voice.

Eggsy, slumped in his seat in the dining room, just shrugs his shoulders. “He didn’t, but he almost did. He might as well just finished the entire word ‘cos he got them three letters out.”

“I’m going to your school tomorrow and talk to your principal about this,” vows Lee with a resolute look.

Eggsy’s widen in horror as he shakes his head. Oh God, it’s just gonna escalate from there.

“Dad, no!” he exclaims, feeling panic rise in his chest.

“Eggsy, what your coach - well, ex-coach - just did is called verbal harassment,” his dad explains firmly. “I’m not going to sit idly by while my son is bullied by an authoritative figure. I’ll be damned if it comes to that.”

“Lee -“ Michelle starts, but Eggsy beats his mum to it.

“Dad, there’s no point ‘cos it was the principal who told Coach Randall to take me off the team.”

His parents blink at the sudden revelation. If possible, Lee’s face turns redder with anger. Michelle stays silent, but Eggsy can see his mum looking distraught.

“There’s nothing you can do to make it okay,” Eggsy finds himself speaking. And for the first time in his life, he feels older than he feels. If this is what adults do on a daily basis - making difficult decisions and letting things go for a reason or another - then Eggsy wants no part in it. Being a teenager is exhausting as it is, ta very much. And being a gay teenager in a somewhat homophobic community is even more exhausting. “Look, I didn’t want to tell you this, but I’m already being bullied in school for being, well, gay. But it’s nothing I can’t handle -“ he raises his voice slightly when he sees his dad open his mouth “- and I’ve got Jamal, Ryan, and a couple others who are there for me. What I’m tryin’ to say is that you marchin’ to the principal’s office to demand they put me back in the team is only gonna make it worse for me. So just… let it go. I can handle this.”

“Eggsy,” Lee breathes out heavily, his shoulder slumping slightly.

Eggsy bites his lip and avoids his dad’s sorrowful eyes. He feels a prickling behind his eyes and he forces himself not to break down in front of his parents.

Eventually, it’s his mum who breaks the brittle silence.

“Baby, your father’s right. We can’t just sit by and not do anything. Maybe we can write a letter to the board, appeal for them to put you back in the team. You love gymnastics, Eggsy, and you’ve worked so hard to get where you are now.”

“I know, mum,” Eggsy smiles sadly at her. It was during the beginning of the school year when Coach Randall and two people who were scouting for London’s Gymnastics Olympic Team approached him. It so happened that Eggsy caught their attention and wanted him to be in the team to be in the 2004 Olympics. Unfortunately, with how everything turned out in October last year and hearing the final verdict from his coach’s lips earlier in the day, it’s all but a distant dream now. “But things happen for a reason, and this is my life now. Sure, I still could’ve made it into the Olympics if I hadn’t come out, but… I think - no, I know I would still be hiding a part of myself from the world. An’ if there’s one thing you, dad, an’ Harry have taught me, then it’s to be honest with myself. I can’t give my hundred percent with what I do best if I can’t do that for myself.”

His parents are quiet for a long while after his tirade. Ultimately, Eggsy looks up from observing the chipped edge of the dining table to stare at his parents. He’s a little startled to see them smiling proudly at him.

“What?” he asks, self-conscious all of a sudden. “C’mon, say somethin’, for God’s sake.”

Lee clears his throat while Michelle gives a loud sniff and wipes a tear.

Oh God, Eggsy thinks distantly. He’s done it. He’s broken his parents.

“Who are you and what did you do to my son?” Lee finally utter, unable to mask the awe in his voice. “You’re only fifteen. Christ, where’d that wisdom come from?”

Eggsy laughs while his mum smiles at him and reaches out to squeeze his hand that’s splayed on the table.

“Oh, you’re growing up too fast,” Michelle voices out with another squeeze to Eggsy’s hand. “Don’t grow up too fast, baby Egg.”

Eggsy offers his parents a sheepish grin and a shrug. “Sorry, mum. Blame my best friend who happens to be dad’s colleague. I guess I picked up a thing or two from him.”

His parents exchange a weird look, their expressions inscrutable for Eggsy to read. His dad turns his head to look at Eggsy with eyebrows raised high.

“Harry?” Lee guesses tentatively.

Eggsy nods with a wide smile. “Yeah, ‘Arry.”

“He’s your best friend?” his dad inquires, sounding a little incredulous just then. “I thought it was Roxy.”

“Yeah, Roxy’s my best mate, too, dad,” Eggsy rolls his eyes. He sees his mum smother a laugh from the corner of his eye. “But ‘Arry’s my first and best, best friend. He was there for me from the start.”

“What do you mean, Eggsy?” his mum asks, brows furrowed.

Ah, right. They don’t know.

Eggsy internally slaps his forehead for that slip up.

“Well, you see,” he explains timidly, eyes going back and forth to observe his parents’ reactions. “I came out to ‘Arry first. An’, well, it’s ‘cos I trust him, yeah? I mean, sure I disliked him at first, but I didn’t know him at the time. But he’s always looked after me whenever you’re away on business, dad, and when you have to stay late due to your shifts, mum. I guess our friendship was, uh, inevitable. Yeah, that’s the word. It was inevitable. He’s taught me a lot and he’s always been there for me. So of course he’s my best friend.”

“Should we be worried?” he hears his mum ask his dad quietly.

It’s Eggsy’s turn for his eyebrows to furrow. What do they have to be worried about? It’s Harry Hart, for crying out loud! The safest and most trustworthy person Eggsy knows, aside from his parents.

He hears his dad reply in a low voice, “No, I don’t think so. But I’ll talk to him when I return to the shop tomorrow.”

“What are you both mumbling about?” Eggsy grumbles, crossing his arms across his chest. “I thought you liked ‘Arry.”

His parents look up at him, and Eggsy doesn’t miss the apologetic look his dad aims at him.

“We do like Harry, son,” his dad says placatingly. “Your mum and I just weren’t aware of how deep your friendship to Harry was, that’s all.”

Eggsy huffs out a breath.

“There’s nothin’ to worry about, yeah? I’ve known ‘Arry for almost six years, an’ he’s been my best friend for three an’ a half. He’s kind an’ compassionate, if not ridiculously posh. You both know what kind of man he is, especially you, dad. Hell, he still scolds me every time I cuss!”

Woopsy-daisy. That was the wrong thing to say, Eggsy.

“Excuse me?” Michelle raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow as she gives her son a Not Impressed look.

Eggsy feels his eyes widen and he looks to his dad for help, only to see his dad fight back a grin.

“Uh-oh,” he finds himself mumbling to himself.

* * * 

It's nearing the end of the school year when his parents reach a decision to pull Eggsy out of the school. Aside from the fact that the bullying only seems to be getting worse (apparently, there are more creative ways to call someone gay, aside from the derogatory ‘f’ word), Eggsy’s grades are getting affected. Chester King, the fascist and homophobic cunt that he is - and also Eggsy’s school principal, did more than just kick Eggsy out of the Gymnastics Team. Because of his strong hold on most of the teachers in the school, he basically forbade Eggsy’s teachers to give him full marks, despite him always being in the honour roll since second grade. Fortunately, they never gave Eggsy a failing mark, but they stopped giving him full marks which aggravated the teen to no end.

In the end, his parents made the wise decision to pull him out. Talking to King was out of the question, more so with the board as they later found out was full of bigoted pricks similar to the school’s principal. So it’s with a happy grin and a two-finger salute that Eggsy bids farewell to his alma mater of nine years.

He doesn’t consider this running away from his bullies and problems. Hell no. He knows better now that there are people who’ll never accept him for who he is. But he doesn’t give a fuck about that, no. Eggsy’s doing this not out of fear or a way to escape his problems. He’s doing this for himself because he knows he deserves better and that there’s a brighter future for him that does not involve toxic people and an even more toxic community.

And besides, Roxy was right. Eggsy’s always been a confident person. All it takes is to muster enough courage and to have a little bit of faith in himself to take that extra step forward.

###### 

#### Year 7 (2007)

Eggsy’s seventeenth year has been a monumental year so far, and it's because of the following:

• The new school he’s attending is a private school. By sheer luck (and intelligence, according to his parents and Harry), Eggsy managed to acquire a full scholarship at the Westminster School. Unfortunately, his new alma mater doesn't have a Gymnastics Club, but Eggsy decided to try out for the fencing team, which he got in due to his agility and lithe frame. Aside from that, he’s quickly made several friends in different year levels. There’s Nathaniel and Marcus in Year 8, Maxine and Gregory in Year 9, and Emma, Sofia, and Edward in his year. Fortunately for Eggsy, there’s a no bullying policy in school and the headmistress is an absolute delight. Headmistress Smith is a well-known figure in the academic community, considering she’s the cousin of the famous actress Dame Maggie Smith (Eggsy was totally not fanboying over that fact. Well, maybe except that time he told Harry about it and his best friend proceeded to relentlessly bug Eggsy to ask the headmistress for her cousin’s autograph. Jeez, Harry.).

• It’s in the middle of October, weeks after his seventeenth birthday, when his parents decide to sit him down and give him The Talk. Now, Eggsy can add that experience to his growing list of The Most Uncomfortable and Awkward Experiences of His Life. He can’t even look his parents in the eye during the entire talk. And it’s not like his dad was comfortable with the whole thing to begin with. He literally slid packets of condom and lube towards Eggsy across the dining table, much to Eggsy’s horror and embarrassment. His mum was no help at all as she fought back laughter the whole time. And all she had to say on the matter was, “At least I’m comforted by the fact you’ll never get a girl pregnant, babe.” Jesus, bury him now.

• A month after The Talk, Eggsy’s parents sit him down again, but it’s not to give him another Talk. Thankfully, Eggsy hasn’t touched the stash of, uh, condoms and lube his dad had given him (God, he’ll never not feel embarrassed about that). Well, minus that time he made out with Edward in a broom closet (yes, apparently those fucking exist in private schools. How convenient.), and the incident where he gave his first blowjob to a bloke named Michael (he’s a year above him), that’s all the action he’s gotten recently. Sad, really, but losing his virginity is not exactly on top of Eggsy’s priorities. What’s on top of his list, however, is the news of his parents expecting a baby. Yes. Eggsy’s going to be a big brother. It’s seventeen years late, of course (fuck, he is not going to imagine his parents in that position - fuck, oh shit) but Eggsy’s over the moon, regardless. He’s already made a list of what clothes and toys to buy his baby sibling, and he’s enlisted the help of Harry, Roxy, Merlin, Alastair, and James to help him in his shopping spree. After years of unintentionally working part-time at the tailor shop, Eggsy managed to save loads of money. And now with a baby on the way, his parents have given him a reason to spend his small fortune.

• Because he was exposed to adults and speaking to adults at such a young age, it somehow forced Eggsy to grow up faster than his peers. Discovering one’s sexuality at such a young age and embracing that part of yourself after so much doubt and difficulty - it’s bound to force someone to become more mature. Both mentally and emotionally. Of course, Eggsy is only seventeen. He still has a ridiculously long way to go in terms of experience. He’s been through so much in a short span of time and has dealt with a lot of bad people (he’s also aware that there are worse people than the ones he’s dealt with so far) that’s made him appreciate the simple things in life. May it be little moments like learning parkour at the park with Jamal and Ryan (thankfully, they still remained great friends), catching up with Roxy at the coffee shop across the tailor shop, Boardgames Night with his parents (that’s still a tradition, thank God), or adapting a new routine with Harry every Sunday where they walk Mr. Pickle every afternoon to the park near Stanhope Mews. Which then leads Eggsy to make his last observation this year.

• It isn’t until the very last second where he’s at the precipice of taking that proverbial leap forward or a gigantic step backward that he’s made aware of an epiphany. Of where Eggsy is torn between facing the truth or hiding behind layers of denial and emotions he tried so hard to quell (emotions he didn’t know he felt until that fateful day) - that he finally yields and succumbs to the candour of his heart’s yearning. There’s certainly no going back from admitting this, even if it’s only to himself at first. He’s fallen in love.

###### 

#### Year 8 (2008)

It’s the week before Valentine’s Day when Eggsy enters the tailor shop in high spirits. How could he not when he aced three of his pop quizzes today and beat Ronald’s arse in fencing practice today? He’s practically on cloud nine! The familiar sound of the bell rings to signify his arrival, and he smothers a wide grin as he hears the recognised footsteps of his best friend.

He’s just placed his shoulder bag on the floor behind the counter when Harry’s tall and lean form comes into view.

“Eggsy! You're early today,” Harry greets him in mild surprise, though he doesn’t hide the affectionate smile that graces his handsome face.

Eggsy smiles just as affectionately as he raises a teasing eyebrow at the taller man. Sadly, he’s still several inches shorter than Harry, only reaching his best friend’s Adam’s apple. At least he’s taller than his mum now, though.

“C’mon, bruv, it’s like you wasn’t expecting me!” Eggsy comments playfully, and hell yes, he loves how deeper his voice sounds these days. Sure, he still sometimes encounters a break in his voice, but it’s a small price to pay. “I texted you when I left school that I was on my way here.”

He’s a little baffled when he sees Harry’s neck flush slightly with what Eggsy can only tell as embarrassment. There’s a niggling at the back of Eggsy’s mind, but he elects to ignore in exchange for observing Harry more.

“Harry, are you okay?” he asks then, feeling a bout of worry wash over him. Why does he look flushed like that? Was he so busy with work that he didn’t hear his phone ring with Eggsy’s message?

Harry clears his throat and tries to appease Eggsy with a comforting smile. It doesn’t really do anything, except give Eggsy those tell-tale butterflies.

“I’m fine, dear boy,” the tailor says reassuringly. And there’s the term of endearment Eggsy has grown to become attached to. “I’ve just been busy -“

Harry never gets to finish his sentence for another figure comes out of the room Harry just came from. Eggsy feels his eyebrows reach his hairline and a heavy weight at the pit of his stomach when he sees the stranger’s (very, very attractive stranger) slightly disheveled appearance.

There’s no doubt in mind what they were up to before Eggsy’s arrival.

“Harry, love, where’d you - oh,” the stranger remarks, stopping mid-sentence once he sees Eggsy’s frozen figure. The bloke - shorter than Harry by a couple of inches but still taller than Eggsy - had striking green eyes, curly blond hair, and a very fit body that put Eggsy’s smaller and leaner frame to shame. “This the kid you were telling me about?”

Eggsy immediately feels his hackles rise in threat upon hearing the (stupid, ugly) man refer to him as a ‘kid’. He’s far from a kid now, ta very much.

Harry, very well-attuned to Eggsy and his moods by now, notices the young blond’s eyes narrow, and immediately interjects with:

“Yes, this is Eggsy, my colleague’s son. Eggsy, this is Samuel. He’s -“

“His boyfriend,” Samuel smoothly interrupts Harry as he takes three long strides to reach the older man’s side. He gives Eggsy a shark-like grin as he offers his hand for the young teen to shake. “Nice to meet you, Eggy.”

Eggsy clenches his jaw as he accepts the offered hand, noting with smug satisfaction how Samuel tries and fails to hide a wince when Eggsy squeezes his had a tad tighter. However, he does his best to ignore the stab of pain in his chest upon hearing Harry’s introduction of him.

 _‘My colleague’s son’_. What the fuck? Does Eggsy’s friendship (correction: best friendship) to Harry mean so little to him now that he’s got a - a boyfriend? Admittedly, a really hot and really fit boyfriend who is most likely closer to Harry’s age than Eggsy will ever be? But what's worse than finding out his best friend is seeing someone else, is finding out that said best friend has been keeping an important part of himself from Eggsy.

Well, evidently, two can play at this game. And Eggsy’s always been very good with games to begin with.

“It’s actually ‘Eggsy’, Samuel,” Eggsy replies in his poshest accent. He sees Harry blink at him in surprise from the corner of his eye. “I’ve known Harry for most of my life. We’re best friends, actually, but I’m certain he hasn’t told you that bit, has he?”

It’s Samuel’s turn to blink in surprise, and he hastily drops Eggsy’s hand in exchange for looking at Harry, who, for some miracle remained unfazed at being the receiving end of an accusing glare.

“Why, yes,” Samuel remarks with an innocent smile. “You didn’t tell me you were ‘best friends’ with a kid, babe.”

Eggsy disregards the pang of guilt he feels for acting like a complete arse, but in the heat of the moment he couldn’t really care less. It’s only when Samuel utters the next words that Eggsy feels the ground he’s standing on disappears.

“Been together for nearly two months now and you can’t be bothered to tell me?”

Eggsy barely feels his jaw drop open, but the feeling of betrayal and hurt eclipses the disbelief he feels upon that declaration. He can feel the unmistakable prickle behind his eyes, and he musters what control he has left to reign in his emotions. He will not cry. He will not break down. He's stronger than this, he knows it. And it’s with a heavy heart that Eggsy gulps down the hurt and betrayal and heartbreak he feels then to force a smile.

“Funny, Harry never mentioned you to me at all,” he quips. And then he adds in a more apologetic tone, “I’m sorry that we had to meet this way. Harry must’ve forgotten to mention to you that we also had plans today.”

He looks from Samuel’s (stupid, ugly) attractive face to Harry’s handsome and guilt-stricken one. Their eyes meet and for a moment, Eggsy feels at peace. In that moment, warmth of Harry’s gaze calms down the storm currently raging inside him.. But it all comes crashing down, down, down to the ground in ashes and smoke when he sees a glimpse of the pain he feels mirrored in Harry’s chocolate brown eyes.

But no.

He doesn’t feel the same way Eggsy does just now. He’s hurt because he got caught, and he’s hurt because of what Eggsy just said. And yes, Eggsy is being a complete and utter tit right now for digging Harry an even deeper hole, but at this point, Eggsy can’t bring himself to care. Not even for a second.

So with a grace he didn’t know he possessed given the circumstances, he easily picks up his bag from the ground and slings it across his shoulders. He spares Samuel another glance before leveling Harry with a cold look, unaware of the small audience they gathered from the top of the stairs, Eggsy’s dad being one of them.

“Given the circumstance, it was nice meeting you, Samuel,” Eggsy says, eyes still trained on Harry. He allows a little bit of hostility to creep into his voice, and he doesn’t miss the low-key flinch Harry makes. “Well, I should go now, still got homework to do. Just text me when you finally have the time to, Harry.”

In best friend speak, that translates to:

_“You have a lot of explaining to do and you better fucking apologise to me, you prick.”_

Eggsy doesn’t wait for a response from either of them as he turns on his heel and leaves the shop. He doesn’t look back, no, and that’s why he misses the shattered expression on Harry’s face.

* * * 

February 9, 2008

 **Harry**  
Please let me explain, Eggsy.

 **Harry**  
I’m trying to call you but the operator said your phone’s turned off.

 **Harry**  
Please respond to my text or call me back once you’re home.

 

February 10, 2008

 **Harry**  
I’m sorry.

 **Harry**  
Eggsy, I know I’m in the wrong. I should’ve told you the truth, but I didn’t. But please, dear boy, believe me when I tell you that I didn’t lie to you.

 **Harry**  
I'm sorry I kept my being gay from you. I have no excuse to give you except that I didn't want to give you the impression that I'm taking advantage of you. 

**Harry**  
Come to think of it, I feel like a complete and utter tit right now. 

 

February 12, 2008

 **Harry**  
I know you don’t want to answer my calls, but at least answer my messages.

 **Harry**  
Eggsy, I know I’ve wronged you. But you can’t stay mad at me forever. I’m terribly sorry.

 

February 14, 2008

 **Harry**  
Despite the fact that your father is glaring daggers at me, he did accept the flowers I gave him to give to you.

 **Harry**  
Yes, it’s to show you how sorry I really am. Please accept it.

 

February 15, 2008

 **Harry**  
Please forgive me, Eggsy.

 

February 16, 2008

 **Harry**  
I never meant to hurt you this way.

 **Harry**  
Ignore that last message. What I’m trying to say is: I never meant to hurt you, and it was never my intention to hurt you like this.

 **Harry**  
Eggsy, please.

 

February 18, 2008

 **Harry**  
It’s been a week since you stopped by the shop. Is it sad that an old man like me finds the absence of your presence deeply saddening?

 

February 20, 2008

 **Harry**  
I heard from Lee that you’re having your first prom in a couple of weeks.

 **Harry**  
He also mentioned that you’re going with a boy named Charlie.

 **Harry**  
Is he the same Charlie you mentioned to me in passing a few years ago?

 

February 21, 2008

 **Harry**  
How many times do I have to apologise to you so that you’ll forgive me?

 **Harry**  
In fact, I find it unfair that it’s only me who’s doing the apologising. I know this may sound petty, but you’re also accountable for the things you’ve said.

 **Harry**  
I actually expected better from you, my dear boy. But I understand now. You’re still young and full of potential. I only want what’s best for you.

 

February 23, 2008

 **Harry**  
It has come to my attention that what I’m doing is called “groveling”. It’s very ungentlemanly of me to seek you out like this. More so that it’s inappropriate, considering our wide age gap.

 **Harry**  
Imagine Mrs. Turner’s face if she reads my messages. Which I doubt she can, at age ninety-seven. But perish the thought, that woman still gives me the willies.

 

February 24, 2008

 **Harry**  
I don’t know why I sent you those texts. I’m just feeling quite maudlin these days.

 

February 26, 2008

 **Harry**  
I’m so sorry, Eggsy.

 **Harry**  
You’re my best friend and I shouldn’t have ever made you doubt how your friendship means to me.

 **Harry**  
I have grown to care for you deeply, and according to Merlin, I’ve become a bigger pain in the arse in your absence.

 **Harry**  
I miss you, Eggsy. Please forgive me. I need you in my life.

* * * 

March 1, 2008

 **Merlin**  
For God’s sake, lad, talk to Harry. He’s been moping at the shop for weeks.

 **Merlin**  
And just so you know, he probably didn’t tell you because according to him, it may sound as an incentive, but he and Samuel have broken up.

 **Merlin**  
Serves the git right. He’s a right bastard.

 **Merlin**  
Samuel is the git. Not Harry.

 **Merlin**  
So please end his (and everyone else’s) misery by getting your arse over here right now.

 **Merlin**  
He misses you, Eggsy. To the point that even your dad’s feeling bad for him. Just please hear him out, lad.

 **Merlin**  
And oh. This is Merlin.

* * * 

March 2, 2008

 **Eggsy**  
Harry.

 **Eggsy**  
I’ve been a proper dick to you, and you never deserved to be treated like that.

 **Eggsy**  
I’m so, so sorry, Harry. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you.

 **Eggsy**  
I miss you so much, and I hate myself for lashing out on you like that.

 **Eggsy**  
Please tell me it’s not too late for us to fix what’s left of what I ruined?

 **Harry**  
Oh, Eggsy. You didn’t ruin anything.

 **Harry**  
I’m the one who should be sorry. And I am. I’m so, very sorry.

 **Harry**  
You must be sick and tired of reading that.

 **Eggsy**  
I forgive you, Harry. I’ve forgiven you weeks ago.

 **Eggsy**  
Please forgive me?

 **Harry**  
Of course, my dear boy. Though, there is nothing to forgive in the first place. You did nothing wrong.

 **Eggsy**  
But I said those mean words to you. I know I hurt you and it was a dick move to do so.

 **Harry**  
You were hurt by my actions. It’s understandable.

 **Eggsy**  
You’re too good for me, Harry. Don’t know what I did to deserve your friendship.

 **Harry**  
You’re just you, Eggsy. You always have been.

 **Harry**  
Mr. Pickle misses you, you know.

 **Eggsy**  
I know.

 **Eggsy**  
Mind if I stop by your house? Mum and dad are going on a date night.

 **Eggsy**  
And you know how that usually ends. :-(

 **Harry**  
Of course, Eggsy. Mr. Pickle and I will be waiting for you.

 **Eggsy**  
Thanks, bruv. See you in a bit, then.

 **Harry**  
:-)

* * * 

Since their first fight last February, Eggsy’s friendship with Harry only seemed to deepen further after they patched up that fateful night in March. They had spent the whole night talking, Harry confessing the reason behind keeping the relationship from him (“I wasn’t sure about him. I liked him enough to keep seeing him, but it wasn’t a relationship I completely invested myself in. And besides, I had an inkling you wouldn’t like him.” “Well, you were right about that.”), and Eggsy sheepishly telling Harry the reason why he never replied to his calls and texts (“I guess I wanted you to suffer, like make you feel the hurt you caused me. It’s a dick move, I know, but -“ “It’s okay, Eggsy. It’s a horrible feeling, mind you, and Mr. Pickle pissed on me more times than I can count.”)

With all the things they’ve said and done, Harry and Eggsy came out stronger together in the end. But not without Lee giving his colleague a Very Serious Talk about hurting his son.

“My kid looks up to you as if the sun shines out of your arse every morning, mate,” Eggsy, unfortunately, heard his dad tell Harry that at the break room one day. “You hurt him like that again, and it’s more than your favourite mug that I’ll break. _Comprende, mi amigo_?”

“ _Sí_ ,” Harry automatically answers, and Eggsy is surprised to see the older (and taller) man shrink at being the receiving end of Lee’s glare.

“Okay, cool.” Lee’s expression then clears and his face breaks out into a grin. He claps Harry on the shoulder and then says in louder voice, “You can come out of hiding now, Eggsy. Just giving your bestie a much needed pep talk, s’all.”

Suffice to say, Eggsy relentlessly teased Harry for looking like a kicked puppy.

It’s clear that Harry didn’t mind his teasing the least bit, for the fond smile that graced his handsome face from that day on only made Eggsy fall a bit deeper more in love with him.

* * * 

On June 27, 2008, Michelle Unwin gave birth to a healthy baby girl. And because Eggsy won the bet against his dad on whether or not he’ll end the semester at the top of this class, he had the final say on what to name his baby sister.

“Daisy Michelle Unwin,” Eggsy proudly announces with the widest grin that’s ever graced his features to the gathered audience outside the Delivery Room.

Harry, along with Roxy, Merlin, James, Alastair, Jamal, and Ryan cheered and congratulated the older Unwin sibling.

“Mate, you’ll be in your forties when Daisy decides to get married,” Ryan remarks with a loud guffaw.

The others snort, Roxy howling with laughter while Harry’s shoulders shake with restrained laughter as the statement wipes the grin from Eggsy’s face.

“She’s only a few hours old, bruv!” the eighteen-year-old protests as he thwacks Ryan upside the head. “Let her be a bubbly, wailing, pooping, drooling baby for a while, for fuck’s sake!”

Eggsy lets himself be wrapped in a one-armed hug by Harry as the taller man mumbles against the top of his disheveled blond locks, “Language, Eggsy.”

Eggsy only rolls his eyes but hugs his best friend back.

Yeah. Life’s pretty great.

###### 

#### Year 9 (2009)

Life is fucking hectic.

“Mum, where’s my toga?! It’s missing!” Eggsy hollers from his room, frantically rummaging through his closet for his toga. “Mum! I’m not gonna graduate without my toga! Ouch, fuck, damn it.”

“It’s already in the car, Eggsy!” Michelle cries out from the first floor landing. “Come on, already! We’re running late!”

“Eggsy, you are not missing your own Valedictorian speech because you thought you lost your damn toga!” shouts Lee from the - car? Damn, his dad really has a loud voice.

“Alright, I’m comin’ down now!”

Eggsy slams his closet door closed and grabs his speech from his study table before hightailing it out of his room and down the stairs in less than five seconds.

“Daisy’s asleep so keep your voice down,” Michelle warns him as she closes and locks the front door behind her.

Eggsy nods his head as he runs past his mum to get in the new family car his dad bought after Daisy was born - a 2009 model Toyota Highlander Hybrid. He’s just finished buckling in his seatbelt when his mum gets in the passenger seat and finishes buckling in that his dad expertly reverses out of the parking spot one-handed.

“Whoa,” is all Eggsy says, still very impressed with his dad’s driving skills after all this time.

With Daisy sound asleep beside Eggsy, Lee looks at his son through the rearview mirror - a mischievous glint in his bright blue eyes.

“We have forty-minutes left before the ceremony starts,” begins Lee, and he ignores his wife’s groan as a grin starts to form on Eggsy’s face. “And it takes fifty minutes on normal traffic to get to your school. What do you say, Little Egg?”

Eggsy doesn’t need to be asked twice. After all, he can’t miss his own speech.

“Oh, yes. Put the pedal to the metal, dad!” Eggsy cries jubilantly.

Lee doesn’t need to be told twice. With a final wink to his son, he changes gear and puts a heavy foot on the accelerator, Eggsy cheering as quietly as he can (his baby sister’s asleep, after all) from the back while Michelle mutters empty threats to her husband.

They’re almost at Eggsy’s school when he decides to text Harry.

 **Eggsy**  
Dad’s flooring it. Will be there in ten to fifteen minutes.

 **Harry**  
I was just about to text you. Everyone’s here except for you four.

Eggsy can’t help but snort. How the tables have turned. Unpunctual Harry is punctual for once.

 **Eggsy**  
That’s a surprise.

 **Harry**  
That you’re running late?

 **Eggsy**  
No, silly. That you’re early. :-P

 **Harry**  
You wound me. Why would I ever arrive late to the most important day of your life?

 **Harry**  
I wouldn’t miss your speech for the world.

 _Oh my fucking God_ , Eggsy groans to himself as he thumps his head against the headrest of his seat.

“You okay, babe?” his mum asks, concern on her beautiful face.

Eggsy grins and shakes his head. “Yeah, mum. Just, uh, a bit nervous.”

His dad snorts as he swerves past a motorcycle.

“Getting cold feet already, son? You haven’t started university yet!”

Michelle lightly hits her husband on the thigh. “At least let your son enjoy his summer before worrying about uni, love.”

Eggsy smirks and rolls his eyes, and then proceeds to tune his parents out for the duration of the ride to focus on his ongoing conversation with Harry.

 **Eggsy**  
Don’t you dare make me cry right now, Harry Hart. I haven’t even gotten my diploma yet.

 **Harry**  
Ha ha.

 **Harry**  
The emcee just announced that the program will start in fifteen minutes. Where are you?

Eggsy glances up and then types furiously:

Less than five minutes away. They better not start without me.

 **Harry**  
If they do, then I’ll find a way to distract them.

Eggsy grins. He feels a swell of deep affection bloom in his chest upon reading those words.

 **Eggsy**  
I’d owe you a lot for that one. You’re the best, Harry. ;-)

 **Harry**  
Of course. Anything for you, my dear boy.

Eggsy’s about to type something incredibly sappy when the car suddenly comes to a complete stop. The young teen looks up from his phone to see the entrance of the gymnasium where his graduation is being held.

“Go on, Eggsy! They’re gonna start any minute now,” his dad says with a manic grin. Throughout his crazy driving, Daisy didn’t even move one inch.

“Don’t miss your toga and cap! And your speech!” his mum reminds him as Eggsy unbuckles his seatbelt and grabs said toga and cap hanging on Daisy’s side.

He opens the car, utters a quick “See you in a bit!” to his folks and then slams it shut to hightail it to the entrance of the gymnasium where he can hear the start of the graduation song.

He feels his phone vibrate twice and he waits until he’s in his designated spot in the line that he opens his phone to read the message.

 **Harry**  
Crisis averted, then. I see you.

 **Harry**  
Look to your left.

Eggsy does, and he sees Harry dressed in an immaculate suit standing from his seat to wave at him. Eggsy grins widely and waves back at his best friend, who then gestures behind him. It’s then Eggsy realises that by everyone, Harry was referring to the rest of the tailors at the Kingsman shop, including Andrew, Merlin, Roxy, Jamal, and Ryan. The last two, dressed in their best formal wear, were holding hand-made banners with the phrases _“Let’s go, Unwin! Let’s go!”_ and _“Valedictorian, Gay, and Proud!”_ written across it. The last one made Eggsy choke on his breath as he smothers a laugh.

 _Fucking pricks,_ he thinks affectionately.

He glances at the line, notices that they’re already calling the names under T, and realises that he has to set his phone aside and concentrate for the next hour and a half. So Eggsy spares Harry and his friends - his second family, his mind supplies - one last glance before typing quick texts to the older tailor.

 **Eggsy**  
I’m speechless, and I have a speech to make in fifteen.

 **Eggsy**  
See you on the other side, Harry.

 **Eggsy**  
Thank you. For being here, and for everything. I wouldn’t have made it here without you and your support and friendship.

“Unwin, you’re about to graduate!” his Physics teacher hisses to him.

“Yeah, yeah, okay,” Eggsy answers distractedly as he types out one last text before hitting send. “There, all done now.” He locks his phone and pockets it in his bespoke suit. An early graduation gift from Harry, of course.

 **Eggsy**  
M really happy u made it here 2day. youre the best, harry. xxx

He feels his phone vibrate three times, but he elects to ignore it as it’s his turn to walk down the aisle. He can distinctly hear his family and friends cheering behind him, and Eggsy doesn't hide the grin that spreads across his face.

( **Harry**  
Just know that I am incredibly proud of you and your achievements, Eggsy. Oxford University is privileged to have you, and I am confident that you will excel in whatever career you desire to pursue.

 **Harry**  
From what I saw before you put on your toga, you look incredible in your suit. Navy blue does suit you.

 **Harry**  
And there’s no need to thank me, dear boy. This is just the first of many milestones I’ll be attending. xxx)

* * * 

The summer after his graduation passed by quickly. He spent the first half of his vacation traveling across Europe with Roxy (who also graduated Valedictorian and got accepted at Cambridge University) and the second half in London to be with his family and friends. He alternates between working shifts at the Kingsman tailor shop, babysitting Daisy (who turned a year old a week after his graduation), keeping up with his parkour skills with Jamal and Ryan at the park, and spending time with Harry and Mr. Pickle, whose health is slowly deteriorating.

When the heat of summer slowly starts to transitions to the cool breeze of autumn, Eggsy finds himself getting excited to start university. During his and Roxy’s brief stay in Italy, he finally decided what degree (rather, degrees) he wants to get: a double major in English Language and Literature and Human Sciences.

“That’s very impressive, Eggsy,” Harry tells him after Eggsy relays to his best friend of his plans.

“You think so?” Eggsy bites his lip, still feeling a bit apprehensive. “It must be weird. It’s weird, innit? Yeah, it’s weird.”

“Hush,” Harry rolls his eyes at him. The older man carefully places his tape measure on the table to bring a hand up to squeeze Eggsy’s shoulder. “You’re overthinking again. Now tell me, and be completely honest: do you see yourself pursuing those degrees two years from now?”

“‘Course I do,” is Eggsy’s automatic response. He blinks in surprise, ignoring the smug look Harry gives him. “Okay, that was some crazy Jedi mind trick, bruv.”

Harry just shakes his head. “No, Eggsy. I just know you better than you know yourself sometimes.”

Eggsy smirks and leans his hip against the table. “Ditto, old man.”

“Oh? And why do you say so?” Harry asks mildly with an eyebrow raised.

Eggsy rolls his eyes and then simply says, “Because you’re using tailor’s chalk instead of the eraser to clean the lines at the inseam.”

“Oh, buggering fuck!”

###### 

#### Year 10 (2010)

There is only one word Eggsy can describe his first year in university:

Savage.

After nine (mostly sleepless) gruelling months, Eggsy is more than happy to be back home for the summer. He’s missed his parents, his baby sister, and he’s most definitely missed Harry. Because he’s staying at the dormitory on campus, Eggsy only got to see his family and friends briefly for two weeks over the Christmas break. He didn’t get the chance to come home during his Easter break due to a backlog of homework and make-up exams he had to do and study for. One important lesson he’s learned in his freshman year is to never fall ill in the eve of exams. It never bodes well for a student, more so that he’s a double major student.

All in all, it was still a very successful year for Eggsy, and he’s proud at the achievement he’s made of being a consistent Dean’s Lister throughout the school year. Ha, wait till he shows his parents his grades. He can almost feel the sleek design of the latest Apple phone in his hand – the iPhone 3GS. Eggsy’s always been a sucker for technology, and once he sees something pretty he has to have it.

He, of course, proceeds to send Harry numerous texts while on the way home for the first time in five months.

 **Eggsy**  
Hey, Harry! I’m on the way home now from uni. Will be there in a couple of hours.

 **Eggsy**  
Can’t wait to see dad’s face when I tell him I retained my spot in the Dean’s List. :-D I can already feel the weight of my new iPhone in my hand!

 **Eggsy**  
Oi, where you at, bruv? Don’t leave your best friend hanging here. :-P

 **Eggsy**  
Okay, you’re probably busy, yeah? Sorry, just excited to see you and the folks and Daisy. And everyone else.

 **Eggsy**  
I have so much to tell you, btw! And holy shit, Harry, you never told me how crazy (and chaotic) end-of-year parties are at uni! You posh, cheeky git. Keeping very important info from me.

 **Eggsy**  
Right. My battery’s half-empty now. Gonna get some sleep first.

 **Eggsy**  
Can’t wait to see you, Harry. Missed you so much. xxx

And it’s in high spirits that he arrives home, dumping his bags in the hallway and calling for his parents and Daisy, when he sees them (minus his baby sister who’s probably sleeping in her room) with solemn expressions in the living room.

“Mum? Dad?” Eggsy’s smile slowly fades as he feels a familiar weight at the pit of his stomach. “Is everything okay?”

“Babe, you should probably take a seat first,” his mum says softly. Alarms start to blare in Eggsy’s head as he hears the quiver in his mum’s voice. That’s not good.

Still, Eggsy follows her advice and carefully takes a seat at in the middle of the couch in front of them. He first looks his mum over for any sign of injury before doing the same to his dad.

“What happened? Is Daisy okay?” he asks. Oh, God. He can’t even begin to imagine what he’d do if something bad happened to Daisy.

“Daisy’s okay,” his mum replies with a reassuring smile, but it falls flat on her haggard-looking face.

“Then tell me what’s wrong,” Eggsy demands, but even his tone falls weak on his ears. “Don’t beat ‘round the bush. Please.”

“Eggsy,” his dad finally starts, and Eggsy snaps his head to look at his dad. He doesn’t like what he sees. Lee opens his mouth and then closes it again. “I… son.”

No. No no _no_. God, _please, no._

Eggsy feels his heart break first before his dad finally strings a sentence together.

“It’s Harry, Eggsy. He was nearly beaten to death last night after saving a young woman and her daughter from being assaulted by a gang. According to the doctor, he’s in a coma right now. We don’t know when he’ll wake up.”

 _If he'll wake up_ goes unsaid, but Eggsy's dad might as well have said it.

“I’m so sorry, baby.” He distantly hears his mum say before he feels the comfortable weight of her arms circling around his shaking form.

Eggsy thought he understood what heartbreak felt like. But he’s wrong. He’s so, so very wrong.

What exactly do you do when your best friend’s life is hanging by a thread? Even more, what do you do when it’s the life of the love of your fucking life that's hanging by a thread?

He doesn’t have a fucking clue on how to deal with this new development, but he knows what he should do:

Be there for Harry and wait for his stubborn best friend to wake up.

And now Eggsy takes back his earlier musing.

He has two words to describe life in general:

Fucking unfair.  



	2. Year 10 (2010); Continuation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What most people don't understand is that it's not the destination that matters, but the journey.
> 
> In Eggsy and Harry's case, this is how their story (officially) begins...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession time: I'm splitting the supposed last half of this fic into several parts because my laptop caught a virus from my mum's flashdrive and I lost everything, including three-fourths of the second part I wrote. And because I'm an idiot, I didn't keep a back-up of it, hence why I had to re-write it all from scratch. *facepalms*
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos, bookmarks, and comments! Thank you also for being so patient. I can't always write because of my demanding responsibilities at work, but I just love being in this trashy fandom and I absolutely love* this pairing that I can't help but continue writing.
> 
> So without further ado, enjoy reading! I hope you like this chapter.
> 
> (* I am still fucking obsessed with Hartwin, and I don't see an end in sight. I'm quite contented with that fact.)

  
_"It is so nice when you can sit with someone and not have to talk."_  
\- Harry Burns; When Harry Met Sally (1989)

The first week is spent sitting by Harry’s prone, unconscious form.

Eggsy remains steadfast and stubborn, ignoring his parents’ and friends’ pleas to eat, sleep, or take a much-needed bath. It isn’t until Roxy comes barging in unannounced one mid-morning – when Eggsy is reading aloud _Pride and Prejudice_ to Harry (his best friend’s favourite book by Austen) – and threatens bodily harm on his person that the young man finally concedes.

After that, the days of summer just seemed to pass by in an agonising pace as Eggsy alternates between sitting by Harry’s side (which consists eighty-five percent of the time), babysitting Daisy, and working at the tailor’s to distract his mind from thinking about Harry. His best friend remains unmoving, not a twitch of the finger or a fluttering of the eyelids, much to Eggsy’s dismay. But he doesn’t lose faith. He’s confident that Harry will wake up. It’s going to take more than a beating to bring Harry down, and Eggsy is not giving up on his best friend. It’s the last thing he would ever do, after all.

“How’s he doing?” asks Merlin one day at the break room. Eggsy just spent most of the morning helping the accountant with liquidation reports before the bald man decided they deserve to take a break.

Eggsy takes a sip of his coffee before he answers.

“Still the same, accordin’ to the doctor. Mum checks up on him every now an’ then when she’s in the area, an’ last I heard from her is they gave Harry a sponge bath.”

“That must’ve been a treat for Roxy,” Merlin comments with a small quirk of his lips.

Eggsy can’t even bring himself to roll his eyes, so he settles for a snort instead.

Three weeks have passed since he heard the news of Harry’s assault, and it warms the young man’s heart to know that he has people in his life that he can trust to look after Harry when he can’t be there physically. Hence, why they started doing rounds at the hospital. It’s Roxy’s turn today, and Eggsy is counting down the hours before he can take over her shift later that evening.

“I don’t think Harry would appreciate that if he heard you,” Eggsy counters with a bite of his homemade sandwich.

“Well, good thing he can’t hear me then,” the Scotsman replies without missing a beat.

Eggsy visibly flinches, and he sees Merlin curse under his breath and close his eyes from the corner of his eye.

“I’m sorry. That was a horrible thing to say,” the older man says, and Eggsy is pleased to know that he does look apologetic.

He shrugs, not hiding the fact that the harmless joke Merlin just uttered was actually, in fact, rude. Really fucking rude.

“I know you miss him, bruv,” Eggsy utters, forcing his voice to sound soft. He’s looking down at his poor excuse of a sandwich, ignoring the growing lump that’s forming in his throat. “An’ I know this is hurtin’ you as much as it’s hurtin’ me an’ everyone else. But you don’t have to pretend you’re okay when you’re not.” This time, he looks up and offers his friend a sad smile. “You don’t always have to be the strong one, mate.”

Merlin’s owlish eyes bore on Eggsy’s with an inscrutable expression, neither of them moving for a long while.

The silence is not stifling but there’s slight tension in the air that instantly crumbles the moment Merlin’s expression breaks. It doesn’t take Eggsy long before he abandons his seat in exchange for wrapping his arms around the older man’s taller form that’s now shaking with wracked sobs.

“I miss him,” Merlin cries softly against his shoulder. He doesn’t hesitate to hug Eggsy back as he clings almost desperately to the younger man. “He’s a downright tosser with a hero complex…”

Eggsy rubs his back comfortingly, unable to hide his teary chortle upon hearing the accountant’s complaints on Harry’s gallantry.

###### 

A few days later, the doctor informs Eggsy that the concussion in Harry’s head is no longer swollen, and that most of his injuries are healed save for the cast on the unconscious tailor’s ankle, where it landed at an awkward angle after he was likely hit on the head by one of his assailants. It’s only a matter of time before Harry wakes up, the doctor says.

“He’ll wake up, Eggsy,” Roxy assures him one night when Eggsy arrives to relieve her of her shift.

Eggsy smiles, and though it doesn’t reach his eyes, it’s still sincere.

“I know he will, Rox. An’ I’ll be by his side when he does.”

###### 

On the fourth week, Harry’s eyelids fluttered.

And by the end of the same week, his fingers twitched. If Eggsy’s fingers weren’t intertwined with Harry’s at the time, he wouldn’t have noticed it. He straightens his slumped posture and looks at Harry’s still prone form with wide, hopeful eyes.

“C’mon, ‘Arry,” he pleads under his breath. He continues to stare at the older man’s face - now devoid of the five o’clock shadow that Eggsy personally attended to that morning. He knows his best friend enough to know that Harry wouldn’t appreciate the growing beard upon waking up, whether he was in a coma or not. Vain peacock, in his opinion, but he won’t have it any other way.

“You gotta wake up for me, ‘Arry. Please.”

Naturally, there was no response.

###### 

By the fifth week, Eggsy finds himself not only reading Austen books to Harry (he’s moved on to _Emma_ by now), but also talking to him, whether it’s updates from their circle or any topic under the sun.

“James an’ Alastair are adoptin’ a baby. They’re gonna be great parents, that’s for sure, but I’m a bit skeptical about James. He’ll probably end up influencin’ their kid rather than disciplinin’ them.”

“I’m sorry about Mr. Pickle, by the way. I wish I was here with you when he died.”

“Roxy’s got a boyfriend, but she won’t tell me who he is. I mean - it’s not like I’m gonna beat the bloke up once I meet him. Sure, I’ll give him the shovel talk, as would the rest of the gang. But c’mon, ‘Arry. It’s completely unfair, isn’t it?”

“I tried teachin’ Daisy to say my name. She ended up calling me ‘Egg-Egg’ instead… not funny, ‘Arry.”

“When are you gonna wake up, you posh git? I have so much shit to tell you, an’ I’d rather you be awake to hear all of it than in a fuckin’ coma.”

“Mum an’ dad just had the weirdest argument. They were shoutin’ over who gets to call dibs on the new massage chair they bought. I think they’re slowly descendin’ into that category called ‘fightin’ like an old married couple’.”

“I miss you, ‘Arry. I miss you so much. An’ there are so many things I want to say to you right now. But… I don’t think I will. It’s not that I don’t want to, or that I can’t, but it’s ‘cos I’m scared.”

“I’m considerin’ gettin’ a dog. Maybe after I graduate, and after I find a steady job an’ have a place of my own. It’d be nice, though, innit?”

“Merlin’s right, you know. You’re a complete an’ utter tit for risking your life like that. I don’t blame those people you saved ‘cos they was at the wrong place at the wrong time, yeah? But for fuck’s sake, ‘Arry, you’re not a - a gentleman spy. Sure, you always keep sayin’ that the suit is the gentleman’s modern armour but I didn’t think you mean that in the literal sense!”

“I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. I’m just… I just hate this. I hate feelin’ so hopeless, an’ I feel like an absolute failure that I can’t do anythin’ else to help you. I just want you to wake up. Wake up, ‘Arry. Please.”

“Summer’s endin’ in a couple of weeks. That means I’m gonna leave you again. I don’t like that arrangement. Do you think my parents would understand if I told them I’m gonna skip this semester until you wake up?”

“… No, you’re gonna get mad at me if I do that. I can already feel the weight of your glare even if your eyes are closed.”

“Most days, I’d rather stay quiet an’ stare at you. In a non-creepy, Twilight way, mind you. But it’s so nice when you can just sit with someone and not have to talk. But given the situation, I feel like it’s my obligation to talk to you. Let you know that I’m right here, an’ that I always have an’ always will.”

“I can’t believe Ryan an’ Jamal decorated your room with butterfly balloons. Where the fuck did they even manage to find butterfly balloons?”

“There’s only a week an’ a half left of my vacation, ‘Arry. When the fuck are you gonna wake up?”

“I miss hearin' your voice.”

“I miss your eyes. Doesn’t matter what expression it holds, but every time I look at ‘em, I always feel safe an’ at peace.”

“God, I’m such a sappy wanker. I’d never say these things to you if I knew you were listenin’.”

“So Andrew’s retirin’. He’s trainin’ this bloke named Gareth to replace him. The shop’s never gonna be the same without him.”

“…”

“You’re my best friend in the whole world, ‘Arry. An’ I don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do with my life if you ain’t there. So you better wake up before I leave in four days ‘cos I’m gonna be very pissed at you if you don’t.”

“Just wake up. Please.”

###### 

“Eggsy?”

Eggsy, in question, grunts from his awkward position. He slowly blinks his eyes open, aware of the crick in his neck from accidentally falling asleep by Harry’s waist. The young man shakes his head and stretches his back with a wide yawn; one hand massaging his neck while the other remains entwined in Harry’s firm grip.

He’s just wiping the sleep from his eyes when he freezes in his ministrations.

By instinct, he lightly squeezes Harry’s hand, initially not expecting a response as he’s been doing that for the past seven weeks. What he didn’t expect is for Harry to squeeze his fingers back. And it’s a firm pressure that could only mean one thing, so with bated breath Eggsy dares to look up and -

“Hello, Eggsy,” comes Harry’s greeting, voice raspy from disuse but the fondness in his tone is evident nonetheless. “I hope it’s not too late for me to say ‘welcome home’.”

Eggsy is at a complete loss for words in that moment. But instead of answering, his face stretches into a wide grin, and through the happy tears suddenly cascading down his cheeks he launches himself into his best friend’s weak but waiting arms.

“It’s not, but welcome back,” he distantly hears himself say against Harry’s neck as the finally conscious tailor holds Eggsy close to him in a firm embrace.

Now this is the kind of homecoming Eggsy should’ve gotten in the first place. 

###### 

Sadly, Eggsy couldn’t stay too long to watch Harry fully recover after that. Two days after his best friend wakes up from his coma, he packs his bags and leaves for university. But that doesn’t mean Eggsy will fail to check up on Harry in between classes.

As promised, his dad had bought him the latest Apple iPhone, which offers several new features that allows Eggsy to communicate better with Harry. And because his best friend lost his phone and wallet during his assault, Eggsy had taken it upon himself to buy Harry a new phone, which also happens to be the same phone as his.

“Eggsy, I can’t accept this,” Harry told him the day of Eggsy’s departure. He decided to drop by one last time to give Harry his new mobile phone. “I’ll just buy my own after I’ve been discharged.”

“Yes you can, an’ you will,” Eggsy had bit back with a stern look. “I’m not gonna wait for another couple of weeks to hear from you, bruv.”

In the end, Harry accepts his new phone with less grumbling than Eggsy first perceived, much to the amusement of Lee and Michelle who are present. The young man just grins widely and promises to text Harry once he arrives at the dormitory, completely oblivious of the significant look his parents share behind his back.

And so it comes as a pleasant surprise for Eggsy when, a month into the new semester, his phone rings as he leaves his last class of the day. He takes his phone out of his trousers pocket, and upon seeing Harry’s name flashing on the screen, grins and accepts the call.

“Already bored out of your mind?” he says in greeting. He nods to a couple of his friends in farewell as he leaves the building and walks down the cobblestoned steps at a leisurely place. “You’re lucky you called at the right time, I just left class.”

“And hello to you, too, Eggsy,” comes Harry’s dry response at the end of the line. Eggsy ignores the butterflies in his stomach upon hearing his best friend’s voice.

“Hi, ‘Arry,” he greets enthusiastically if not a little fondly, not hiding the grin that spreads across his face. “How’re things?”

“Things are going good, my dear boy. I finally got my cast removed.”

Eggsy perks up at the news and exclaims, “‘Arry, that’s amazin’, bruv!”

“Hmm, yes, quite,” Harry responds lightly. “Thank God for that. It makes manouevring around the house and shop less tedious.”

“I bet you’re makin’ up for that with extra long walks at the park.”

“Well, you’re not wrong in that front.”

Eggsy chuckles at Harry’s cheeky response, genuinely happy that the older tailor can finally walk on his own two feet. After all, he’s been in constant contact with Harry since then, and he’d been on the receiving end of his dramatic laments since Merlin and the others had resolved to kicking him out of the shop after that first week.

“Where are you right now?” he hears Harry ask, and Eggsy furrows his brows as he detects a hint of mischief in his tone.

“I’m goin’ to the library to get some readin’ done,” Eggsy answers slowly. Then he narrows his eyes. “Why do you ask?”

“Simply out of curiosity,” Harry replies without missing a beat. “Of course, the grounds look like it needs some proper mowing, but everything is almost the same as when I graduated a long time ago.”

“Yeah, it does -“ Eggsy starts to say but then cuts himself off once Harry’s words register in his brain. He suddenly halts in his steps, heart leaping to his throat as his eyes roam frantically around his surroundings. “‘Arry, you better not be takin’ the piss right now. Are you here?”

Is it even possible for Harry to travel that far, considering he only recently had his cast removed?

“I’ll let you be the judge of that,” he hears Harry say on the receiving end and, distantly, behind him.

Wait.

Hold the fuck up.

Eggsy whirls around, one hand clutching his phone and the other a tight grasp on his shoulder bag, to see none other than Harry Hart standing four feet in front of him with a wide grin on his face. The young man’s eyes widen in shock, and he can’t ignore the fluttering his heart makes upon laying eyes on his best friend.

Harry’s dressed in the most casual clothes he’s ever seen on the tailor - dark denim jeans, black cashmere sweater with a blue scarf wrapped around his neck, and his favourite pair of oxfords.

“Harry!” Eggsy blurts out loudly, not caring that it startled a couple of students in the vicinity. Who cares about decorum when your best friend is right in front of you?

Without missing another beat, Eggsy closes the small distance between them in a few, long strides. He carelessly drops his bag to the ground and then leaps into Harry’s arms, the latter catching him effortlessly as his arms wound tightly around the young blond’s waist.

Eggsy almost closes his eyes in bliss as he inhales Harry’s familiar scent (aftershave and his favourite Tom Ford cologne), but he stops himself at the last second. They’re still in public after all, and he doesn’t fail to notice that they’re starting to attract a small audience, thanks to his exuberant reaction.

But hey, can they really blame him for reacting that way? They can piss off, ta very much.

So instead of giving a fuck to the several eyes trained on them, he tightens his grip around Harry’s shoulders and continues to murmur short phrases alternating between “Holy shit, you’re here” and “Oh my God, I’m gonna kill you”.

Harry’s response is to laugh, his warm breath tickling Eggsy’s ear and sending an involuntary shiver down his spine. Harry must’ve mistaken the shiver as Eggsy fighting down a sob (the young man may as well have, considering he thought he almost lost him a few months ago) and proceeds to rub Eggsy’s back comfortingly, his hold around Eggsy tightening considerably.

With a final squeeze, Eggsy reluctantly lets go. He continues to ignore the curious eyes of their small audience as he picks up his bag from the ground and adjusts the strap when he slings it across his shoulders.

“What are you doin’ here?” Eggsy finally utters, wide grin still in place. “Not that I’m not thrilled to see you.”

Harry, in response, just smiles widely at him. It’s the smile that shows both his dimples, one that never fails to make Eggsy weak in the knees, and the older man gestures with his head to walk with him. Eggsy does so without question as to their destination; he just falls into step beside his best friend.

“I believe you and I have catching up to do,” Harry begins with a glance at Eggsy, his smile still intact. “After my cast was removed and I finished my physiotherapy, I decided that surprising you with a visit would be a splendid idea.”

“Best decision you’ve made in ages, in my opinion,” Eggsy interjects cheekily. Harry just rolls his eyes and Eggsy playfully bumps his shoulder against him. Then he adds almost shyly, “But thanks, ‘Arry. This is the best thing that happened all month.”

Harry brings his hand up and squeezes Eggsy’s shoulder before directing him to another path leading to a different part of the campus.

There’s a twinkle in his warm brown eyes when he says, “Come along, Eggsy. I know somewhere we can talk more comfortably. And I’m sure you’re just as famished as I am.”

###### 

**Eggsy**  
Thanks again for visiting me, Harry. I had a really great time.

 **Harry**  
It was a very eventful evening, indeed. I don’t think I’ll look at pecan pie the same way ever again.

 **Eggsy**  
Hahahaha! :P

 **Harry**  
Oh, that’s mature of you.

 **Eggsy**  
Piss off. :P

 **Eggsy**  
Get home safe, yeah? Text me when you reach home, I’ll be up late studying tonight.

 **Harry**  
Thank you, Eggsy. I will. And I’m sorry I disrupted your studies.

 **Eggsy**  
No, you’re not. :P

 **Harry**  
… Am I that transparent?

 **Eggsy**  
Nah, I just know you.

 **Eggsy**  
Besides, I needed the break. And you were a great distraction, bruv. ;D

 **Harry**  
Well, I’m glad my services were of value to you.

 **Harry**  
I take it you won’t be opposed to me visiting you again soon?

 **Eggsy**  
Course not. It’s you.

 **Harry**  
:-)

###### 

Naturally, it’s no surprise when he gets interrogated a few days later.

“Oi, mate, who was that bloke the other day?” asks Nathaniel, one of Eggsy’s classmates and friends from Literature in English class.

Eggsy doesn’t bother to look up from his laptop where he’s typing up an essay that’s due next week as he absentmindedly replies, “The what now?”

“Mr. Tall, Dark, Fit, and Handsome,” quips Amelia from beside Eggsy, his other friend in the same class.

Eggsy looks up from his typing and glances at his two friends with an easy smile. “Oh, he’s my best friend.”

He goes back to typing, completely missing the baffled look his two companions share.

"Are you serious?"

"Pretty darn, bruv," Eggsy answers with a chuckle. He finishes the sentence he's typing before he looks up at them again. "He's a colleague of my dad's at the tailor shop; used to pick me up an' bring me there when dad's away on business an' mum's on her shifts."

Amelia shakes her head, but there's a curve forming on her lips. "That has got to be the most unusual way to become best friends."

"Yeah. A bit creepy, too, don't you think?" Nathaniel adds. He yelps when Amelia swats his arm with a hardbound book. "What the fuck, woman?"

Amelia glares back at their auburn-haired friend who's now pouting like a kicked puppy.

"You're an insensitive prick, Nathaniel."

"What the fuck did I do?"

"Correction: you're a bloody idiot."

Eggsy just looks at them in amusement and then shrugs, focusing his attention on his laptop screen again. He's only halfway through his paper and he aims to finish it by tomorrow evening since Harry texted him earlier about visiting him again that weekend.

###### 

Since Harry's first surprise visit to Eggsy, it’s become like an unspoken agreement between the two for the older tailor to visit his young best friend every now and then.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Eggsy tells Harry one day when the latter surprises him with another visit, the fourth time in two months.

“I know, but I see no reason why I shouldn’t,” Harry smiles tenderly down at him as the young man fights off a yawn. Eggsy slumps slightly against his dormitory room’s front door with a sleepy smile. “Get dressed, my dear boy. We’re going down for brunch.”

Eggsy can’t help but groan as he thumps the side of his head against the door.

“Ugh! ‘Arry, it’s ten-thirty on a bloody Sunday! I should be sleeping in!” he whines. And no, he did not sound childish just then.

Nope. Not at all.

Harry merely raises an eyebrow in response and then remarks with irony in his tone, “I apologise for not taking your tendency to lie-in on weekends into consideration. After all, it’s not like I traveled two and a half hours in hopes to spend some time with my best friend and take him to one of the best restaurants in the vicinity.”

Well, when it’s put into perspective like that, it’s actually very… sweet of Harry to do that. Sweet and thoughtful, and quite committed.

Ah, shit, bugger, fuck.

Eggsy tries his best to ignore the butterflies in his stomach and the way his heart flutters as he glances up at the older man, whose expression remains impish, save for the warmth in his brown eyes.

In the end, it doesn’t take him long to make a decision.

With a sigh that Harry will later on comment as a dramatic one, Eggsy leans away from the door and takes a step towards Harry. Maybe call it instinct or impulse, or maybe even blame it on his still sleep-addled brain, but Eggsy finds himself doing the unthinkable.

He takes another step towards Harry and, after standing on his tiptoes, plants a dry but gentle kiss on the older man’s cheek, heedless of his terrible morning breath.

Eggsy leans back and, thanking his lucky stars that what he’s just done hasn’t completely registered in him yet; he takes a step away and gestures with his head with a crooked smile to invite Harry in.

“C’mon in for a minute, then,” he says as he turns and walks to his dresser. “Make yourself at home. I’ll just take a quick shower, yeah?”

Eggsy doesn’t see the odd look that takes over Harry’s face, and nor does he notice the way his best friend’s eyes follow his every move until he shuts the bathroom door behind him.


	3. Year 11 (2011); Part One (Eggsy)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate this chapter to my dear friend jevilier. Thank you for your endless support, encouragement, and friendship.
> 
> Once again, I'm splitting this into two chapters because my fingers have a mind of its own and I just can't seem to stop writing. I'm sorry about that. Hope you enjoy this lengthy motherfucker, and do let me know what you think! :)
> 
> Edit: Also, if you haven't watched "Notting Hill", then sorry for the spoilers! XD

  
_"You see? That is just like you, Harry. You say things like that, and you make it impossible for me to hate you."_  
\- Sally Albright; When Harry Met Sally (1989)

#### Year 11 (2011)

The rest of the year passed by without incident, thankfully. And once more, Eggsy spent the entire two weeks of his term break back home. Christmas was quite the eventful affair. It was his dad’s turn to host the annual Christmas party, a tradition that Kingsman tailors continue to uphold, and so their house was completely packed with the shop’s tailors and staff alike. Of course, Roxy was present and Eggsy even invited Jamal and Ryan to the party. His childhood friends were more than happy to accept his invitation, in the likelihood of consuming free food and alcohol, and also entertaining little Daisy who’s getting prettier and cheekier as time goes by.

There were a lot of pictures taken (one was of Merlin wearing a Christmas hat flanked by Alastair and James who proudly wore matching ugly Christmas sweaters) and karaoke was a major success. Eggsy has so much blackmail material on literally everyone, including his parents who sang a horrible rendition of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”. So it’s without a doubt the best Christmas Eggsy’s ever had.

The New Year’s celebration, however, was calmer but just as memorable. The party was once again hosted by the Unwins, but the gathering was a smaller crowd. It consisted of the Unwin family, obviously, and of Harry, the Mortons, Merlin, Andrew, and his protégé Gareth. Gareth is a couple of years older than Eggsy and Roxy, so it’s no surprise that the three immediately hit it off.

“They’re like the Golden Trio at this point,” James commented one time.

Lee slapped the taller agent’s back with a guffaw as he exchanged a fond look with his wife.

“Pretty much the same way you, me, and Michelle were, huh?” said the elder Unwin, sounding a tad wistful just then.

James smirked as he circled his arm around Alastair’s waist, and then knowingly quipped, “If it’s all going to come full circle, old friend, then I have an idea how it’s going to end.”

Lee’s answering glare caused the other occupants around the dinner table to laugh.

Eggsy, having heard the rest of the exchange, had excused himself from Roxy and Gareth’s ongoing debate on who’s going to be nominated in next year’s Oscars, and approached Harry. He failed to notice Merlin coming up behind Roxy to join in on the conversation with Andrew’s protégé, their proximity a little too close for what’s normally acceptable between friends.

The young blond approached his best friend, who was sitting comfortably on the carpet in the living room and was currently entertaining Daisy by playing with her coloured blocks.

“Did you know my parents were best friends with James?” Eggsy spoke as he settled beside his best friend.

Harry turned his head to glance at him, mild surprise written over his features.

“Yes, it was James who recommended Lee to our previous manager,” Harry replied, smiling then in reminiscence. “Those two were a force to be reckoned.”

Eggsy grinned and took a sip of his eggnog. “Past tense. What changed, then?”

Harry finished helping Daisy insert the yellow circle block inside its corresponding hole. The jubilant toddler shrieked and clapped her hands, and Harry fondly ruffled her hair before he returned his attention back to the younger man.

With a crooked smile, he said, “Alastair joined two years later, and James was smitten at first sight. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Eggsy raised his eyebrows and snorted at the newfound piece of information.

“Funny how love can change a person like that.”

He looked over to where his parents, James, and Alastair are. They were still talking about God knows what. James was kissing Alastair’s cheek every now and then, and his dad had an arm slung casually around his mum’s shoulders as they laugh at something Alastair said. Eggsy found himself unconsciously smiling at the image before him, a wistful part of him wondering if he’ll ever reach that level of happiness in the distant future.

Through his internal musings, he didn’t notice Harry’s fixed stare on him, the older man’s warm brown eyes exuding a deep affection he wouldn’t normally show around the young blond’s presence.

“You’d be surprised how far a man in love would go for their beloved,” Harry said softly.

Unfortunately, Eggsy completely missed the strange tone when the older man uttered those words, and he also missed the curious glances they were getting from Roxy and Merlin.

###### 

They welcome the New Year in high spirits, and before he knows it, Eggsy is back in the comfort of his dormitory. The month of January trailed slowly, and in between classes, studying, and doing homework, Eggsy manages to keep in constant contact with Harry. His best friend hasn’t been down to visit him since he returned to Oxford University, seeing that Kingsman recently lost three tailors.

Tristan resigned after he was given a better offer abroad; Michael also resigned as he and his family are relocating to Dubai; and Kay finally retired, thankfully, since he’s already past the age of retirement.

So with Kingsman lacking three tailors, the remaining tailors had to split the workload. According to Harry, they decided to work in a cycle. Out of the seven remaining tailors, three will be left behind to man the shop and train the new recruits while the remaining four meet clients in and out of the country. Each interval lasts for approximately three weeks, and Harry, who’s just returned from a two-day trip in Sweden, is leaving again for a four-day trip to Vietnam.

Eggsy immediately takes the opportunity to call his best friend, grateful for the small window of opportunity.

“Do you remember that time dad was in Thailand and I feigned being sick so I can spend the whole day playing _Grand Theft Auto_?” Eggsy asks that night after he finishes typing a sentence. He’s sitting in bed, laptop propped on his lap and back resting against his fluffy pillow.

“How can I forget? I was playing beside you that day,” Harry says over the phone, sounding a tad distracted.

“Oh, yeah! Well, I feel like doing that again.”

“Don’t you fucking dare skip your classes, Eggsy,” the tailor utters lightly, but years of knowing the man alerts Eggsy that Harry will be more than pissed at him if he goes along with that plan.

Hiding a smirk, he sighs despondently. “You’re no fun at all.”

Harry snorts but doesn’t reply.

Eggsy worries his bottom lip with his teeth as he stares at the laptop screen where he's writing his second reaction paper, this time on the Old English literature _Beowulf_. He’s only written the first three sentences and is currently at a loss on what else to write in his intro. He frowns when he hears a weird noise and Harry laughs at it.

“What are you doing?” he asks, aiming for nonchalance but ending up sounding a bit suspicious. So he immediately adds, “Are you busy?”

“No, not at all, Eggsy,” Harry speaks reassuringly. His voice is rich and warm on Eggsy’s ear, and he’s unable to fight off the fond smile that stretches across his lips. “I’ve been channel surfing and I just stumbled upon a favourite movie of ours.”

“Oh? Which one? We have a long list, in case you forgot.”

“Cheeky. It’s _Notting Hill_.”

“Ooh, what part are you in?”

Yeah, there’s no chance Eggsy will be able to accomplish any more work tonight. Not with Harry a constant presence in his ear and the familiar laughter of Julia Roberts in the background.

So with a soft sigh, he saves the word document and gently closes his laptop before setting it aside on the chair beside his bed. The young blond then gets under the duvet and turns the lamp off, the only source of light coming from the streetlight outside his window that casts eerie shadows in his room.

“Honey’s birthday dinner,” Harry replies with a chuckle.

Eggsy settles comfortably on his bed, turning on his side so the hand that’s clutching his phone won’t be too strained in his position. He can already feel the uncomfortable heat of his iPhone and the perspiration of his ear against the phone’s screen, but Eggsy doesn’t give a damn. Sure, he’s been talking to Harry for the past hour, but it’s not like the tailor minds. In fact, Harry was more than thrilled to talk to him, claiming that it’s a relief to hear Eggsy’s voice after spending two days listening to clients and strangers. He also cited his boredom at home now that Mr. Pickle isn’t there to keep him company. Except for the fact that his best friend, the sentimental fool that he is, approached someone he knew from university who happens to be a taxidermist and, well. Let’s just say Mr. Pickle’s new spot is on a mantle above the toilet in Harry’s downstairs bathroom.

“That’s my favourite scene,” Eggsy says with a snicker. He can perfectly imagine how the scene is playing out. Ronan Keating’s _“When You Say Nothing At All”_ playing in the background as Hugh Grant’s character’s sister and friends laugh around the table, exchanging stories with Julia Roberts’s character. “That’s when Anna starts to fall for Will.”

There’s a smile in Harry’s voice when the older tailor says, “I have to disagree with you. I think she started falling in love with Will when he first offered her dessert in his house.”

“Nah, mate. Didn’t you read Julia’s body language in that scene? She was just being polite.”

“She was being coy,” Harry counters, and Eggsy can perfectly imagine Harry rolling his eyes as he said it. “Besides, she kissed him before she left.”

This time, it’s Eggsy’s turn to roll his eyes. “Doesn’t mean she’s in love with him, bruv!”

“I’m certain any person don’t just play tonsil hockey with a stranger just because. Even if their feelings are not as deep or profound at the time, the attraction is still there.”

“Yeah, you got a point there.” Eggsy turns on his other side so he’s facing the wall this time, transferring the phone to his other hand. “But you forget that Anna is a famous actress. She can bullshit her way through any situation, bruv. And, okay, maybe that kiss was a spur-of-the-moment thing for her, but she did make her intentions clear to Will that it wasn’t like that.”

“Ah, but you forget that she called Will and invited him to her hotel because she wanted to see him —“

“To apologise to him, bruv —“

“Hush, I’m not done,” interrupts Harry with a laugh. Eggsy bites his lip to keep from giggling because God, here he is on a Wednesday night - lying in bed and talking on the phone with his best friend about the relationship of a fictional couple from a fictional movie. Fuck, this one is made for the movies. “Where was I? Ah, yes. And then she tells him she cleared her schedule for the evening. He says yes, and then backtracks because of a commitment, but did that stop her? Of course it didn’t. Anna invited herself into Will’s sister’s party, and Eggsy, my dear boy, if that is not a woman already half in love in the first twenty minutes of the film, then I don’t think we were watching the same film at all.”

“God, I can’t fucking believe we’re having this discussion again,” Eggsy groans against his pillow, but there’s that stupid smile on his face that he can’t seem to fight off recently. “Harry, mate, I can never win against you.”

Harry chuckles from the other end of the line, and Eggsy hears the volume of the television being lowered.

“It’s hard to win against someone who’s watched the movie more than seventy-eight times already,” the older man confesses, and he has the grace to sound a little sheepish.

Eggsy snorts. “I almost forgot it was you who introduced me to chick flicks.”

“You say that now, but wait until you reach my age,” Harry counters teasingly. “Bachelorhood does suit me, but it can get quite lonely sometimes.”

Eggsy’s smile slowly turns into a frown, his eyebrows furrowed when he hears the unmistakable sadness in his friend’s voice.

“Oi, none of that now,” he reprimands, but he keeps his tone light. “You got me, remember? As long as Eggsy is here, Harry will never be lonely.”

He hears Harry snort, but when he speaks the fondness is evident in his tone. “Harry is just being a sentimental old man, and he hopes that Eggsy will forgive him for lamenting when Harry is, in fact, happy and contented.”

Great, they’re speaking in third person now.

“Eggsy’s chuffed to know Harry is happy and contented. Because if he isn’t, then Eggsy will leave university to go to Harry’s place and knock some sense into his best friend’s thick head.”

“Harry would let Eggsy do that if only Eggsy will be able to reach Harry’s thick head.”

“Then Eggsy will have to deflate Harry’s ego in order to accomplish his objective.”

There is a pregnant pause between them before they erupt into fits of laughter. There are tears leaking from Eggsy’s eyes, and his free arm is clutching his sides as he tries and fails to control his laughter. At the other end of the line, he can hear Harry laughing, and there’s a rustling sound that Eggsy can identify as his best friend’s body hitting the couch.

“This is why we’re friends,” Eggsy says between gulps of air. He’s grinning so widely it physically hurts, almost as if his face is about to split in half.

“No,” Harry retorts, still chortling. “This is why we’re _best_ friends.”

If possible, Eggsy’s smile widens more. He ignores the fluttering in his chest - he’s getting better at that, apparently - in exchange for shifting positions so he’s lying on his back this time. His eyes fix on the ceiling, and he can feel his right hand starting to cramp from holding his overheated phone against his ear.

“God, I miss you,” he finds himself confessing in a hushed voice.

Before he can take his words back - and fuck, he needs to start filtering his thoughts before saying anything that would embarrass him further or worse, clue Harry in on his burgeoning feelings for him - he hears Harry sigh.

“I miss you, too,” Harry utters just as quietly, though he can still hear the smile that’s still evident in his tone. “I’ll visit you soon, I promise. It’s been a month, I know, but we’re still understaffed and I have a few more trips to make.“

“It’s okay, Harry,” Eggsy says smoothly. He bites his lip when he hears Harry’s heavy breathing on his ear, still recovering from their laughing fit two minutes ago. “Your work is more important. And besides, this is more than enough.”

Harry is silent for a moment.

“I’ll visit you soon,” the older man repeats, sounding resolute. “The moment I wrap things up in Vietnam and France, I’ll go straight to you. I promise.”

Eggsy tries, and fails dismally once more, to fight off the stupid lovesick smile that stretches across his lips.

Yeah, he’s fucked. Utterly, royally fucked, and he thinks that he won’t have it any other way.

“I know, Harry,” he quietly replies, closing his eyes to better concentrate on the other man’s breathing. “And I’ll be waiting.”

###### 

It’s the second week of February when things take a different turn.

“Eggsy!” a voice shouts behind Eggsy one day when he’s walking down the concrete steps of the building. “Hey, Eggsy! Wait!”

With a frown, Eggsy halts in his steps and swivels around at the source. His expression clears when he sees one of his classmates in Medieval English class quickly making his way towards the young blond, expertly dodging past people and apologising when he bumps into them.

“‘Sup, George?” greets Eggsy with a friendly smile when George stops in front of him, and he has to crane his neck to meet the latter’s eyes and not his Adam’s apple.

George is a tall bloke, standing at 6-foot-4, and has a lean body that Eggsy can’t help but appreciate upon first laying eyes on him last semester. He has a dark complexion, toppled with cropped dark hair, and a small birthmark on his right cheekbone. The rest of his features are complemented with freckles scattered across his nose, thick but neatly trimmed eyebrows, a deep set of silver eyes behind wire-framed glasses, and cupid bow lips.

“Hey, Eggsy,” greets George again with an exhalation of breath. “Are you gonna go to the library?”

Eggsy nods and adjusts the strap of his bag across his shoulders. “Yeah. You going there, too?”

“Yeah. Mind if I join you?” George asks, sounding shy all of a sudden. “I normally go with Natalie, but she’s sick today, so.”

Eggsy ignores the uncertain look that passes over his foxy eyes as he replies with another smile, “Not at all, bruv.”

Natalie is another classmate of Eggsy’s in the same class, and he briefly wondered why the exuberant young woman wasn’t in class that day. He figures that George isn’t the type of person who likes to be alone for a long period of time, hence why he decided to seek Eggsy out. So he turns on his heel and continues his trek to the library, not waiting for George since the bloke has the legs of a fucking ostrich to begin with.

* * * 

They spend hours in the library, Eggsy pouring over several tomes as he researches for information on the Anglo-Saxon language while George boots up his laptop and starts typing up his essay for another class he’s taking. They work in silence, sometimes breaking it to make small talk when there’s a lull in their respective tasks, but most of it is spent in comfortable silence. Eggsy likes the company for a change. Normally, he’s either on his own or with Nathaniel and Amelia. But since his two friends started dating last November, it’s no surprise on Eggsy’s part that they’re spending less time with him.

Eventually, George breaks the silence once more.

“Hey, Eggsy?”

Eggsy makes a noncommittal sound, eyes moving rapidly over the text before him.

“Do you have any plans this weekend?”

It takes several moments before Eggsy looks up from the passage he’s reading to glance up at his classmate. He blinks, mouth falling slightly open when the words finally register in his brain, and he doesn’t miss the way George’s eyes flicker down to his mouth.

Huh. Maybe there was another reason why Mr. Ostrich Legs approached him.

The silence must’ve stretched on for too long because Eggsy sees George’s lanky form starting to fidget in his seat. He snaps out of his thoughts and forms a reply.

“I don’t think so. Why’d you ask?”

This time, he sees the latter’s eyes perk up. He doesn’t have to wonder too long as he hears George’s words in the next breath.

“Do you wanna watch a movie with me?” George asks with a bashful expression, his cheeks flushing when he sees Eggsy gape at him. “And before you ask, it’s a date.”

Well, that escalated quickly.

“Er, well…”

 _No, say no, you idiot!_ Eggsy’s mind screams. _You can’t lead this guy on, no matter how fit he is. It just ain’t right._

 _Why the fuck not?_ Another part of Eggsy’s mind screams back. _You’re single and the last time you had anyone, you were still in high school. It’s fucking pathetic, really._

_Because think of Harry, that’s why!_

Eggsy blinks. Of course. Yes. Harry, his dearest and best friend. Harry, whom he’s in —

 _But it’s not like he feels the same towards you,_ the nasty part of his mind interjects. Eggsy frowns, and he detests the painful twinge in his chest. _Harry’s your best friend, and he loves you. But don’t get your hopes up on that being anything more than platonic, Unwin._

And just as quick as his internal battle started, it ended.

“Eggsy?”

Eggsy looks up, not noticing that he was glaring a hole at the tome before him. He didn’t even realise he was zoning out until George lays a hand on his arm, his hand warm against Eggsy’s skin.

He looks at George - really looks at George - and sees nothing but mild concern and kindness in the latter’s eyes. His eyes fall down to George’s lips, and he unconsciously licks his own lips when he sees those cupid bow lips twitch up into a small smile.

Oh, boy.

Finally, Eggsy meets the dark-haired boy’s silver eyes, and he makes a decision.

He ignores the rational part of his brain that’s telling him _‘No, you’re making a huge mistake’_. Fuck it. He’s allowed to have this. It’s not like he’s cheating. And yeah, it’s not like Harry harbours feelings for him. Eggsy’s allowed to be happy, even if it means it’s not with the person he desperately wants to be with.

“Sure, George. I’ll go out with you.”

George’s blinding smile almost makes up for the peculiar feeling of guilt Eggsy feels in his gut. Almost.

###### 

**Eggsy**  
Roxy, I need your help, bruv.

 **Roxy**  
What’s up, Eggs?

 **Eggsy**  
Help me choose?  
[attachment 1] [attachment 2]

 **Roxy**  
The second one. It makes your eyes pop up more.

 **Eggsy**  
Ta! You’re a legend!

 **Roxy**  
Sure.

 **Roxy**  
Wait. What’s that for? Do you have an event to attend or something?

 **Eggsy**  
Rox, you wound me. Am I not allowed to socialise every once in a while?

 **Roxy**  
Eggsy, you’ve been Mr. Studious since we started university. /:)

 **Eggsy**  
What does “/:)” even mean? Smiley with bangs?

 **Roxy**  
No, you prick. I’m raising my eyebrow at you.

 **Roxy**  
Now answer the damn question.

 **Eggsy**  
Okay okay. Don’t be surprised.

 **Eggsy**  
I got a date. :D

 **Eggsy**  
Hello???

 **Roxy**  
A date? With who? Somebody asked you??

 **Eggsy**  
Oi! I take insult to that. And yeah, somebody asked me.

 **Eggsy**  
His name’s George. We’re going to the movies tonight.

 **Roxy**  
How cliché.

 **Eggsy**  
What d’you mean?

 **Roxy**  
It’s Saturday, Eggsy.

 **Eggsy**  
Yeah, and?

 **Roxy**  
It’s Valentine’s Day, you twat.

 **Roxy**  
And this George is taking you to the movies.

 **Roxy**  
Let me guess. There’ll be candlelight dinner afterwards and a walk to the park before he walks you home and you kiss each other goodnight.

 **Eggsy**  
It’s Valentine’s Day today?!

 **Roxy**  
Jesus fucking Christ.

 **Eggsy**  
Oh my God, Rox, it is!

 **Roxy**  
I hope you know what you’re doing now.

 **Eggsy**  
I don’t, to be honest.

 **Roxy**  
Oh. Well, good luck, I suppose.

 **Roxy**  
I have to go, Eggs. I got a date as well.

 **Roxy**  
Tell me how it goes, though, okay? Love you!

 **Eggsy**  
Jeez, thanks for the vote of confidence, bruv!

 **Eggsy**  
Oi, Rox, when am I gonna meet your boyfriend?!

 **Eggsy**  
You’re the worst. Talk to you soon, then. Luv yah too.

###### 

The date is going surprisingly okay so far. Actually, it’s more than okay. It’s really… nice. Now, Eggsy has never been on a lot of dates (after all, this is his first after almost two years of not dating, Christ), so he doesn’t really have that much basis on how to rate it. But as far as dates go, this one is rather pleasant.

George took him to the local cinema, and they watched _“I Am Number Four”_. The action and special effects were good, the acting was adequate, and the movie overall was subpar. He didn’t hate it, but he didn’t exactly love it either. He just wished he had his phone with him, though. Of all the things to forget, it had to be his phone. He almost fell asleep halfway through the movie, and at the corner of his eye, he could see George fighting off a yawn every fifteen minutes. If he hadn’t forgotten it, then maybe he could’ve been playing Reckless Racing 2. At least he’d still be entertained.

After the movie, they walk a couple of blocks to a fully packed Italian restaurant. The other patrons are thankfully not too loud, but Eggsy didn’t like how artificial the interior of the place looked. The servers are wearing a hideous shade of red, and the maître d’ definitely gave Eggsy and George a disgusted look when they were seated at a secluded booth in the corner of the establishment. There are hearts literally hanging from the ceiling, and whoever is in charge of the restaurant’s playlist must have questionable tastes. Why the fuck would they even play _“My Heart Will Go On”_? It’s the saddest fucking love song Eggsy’s ever heard, and he hasn’t watched Titanic to begin with.

“I hope this is okay,” George says after they made their orders. “I wasn’t expecting you’d say yes, so I kinda made reservations pretty late.”

“Nah, s’fine,” Eggsy reassures him with a smile. Then he looks slightly perplexed when the rest of what his date said registers in his brain. “Uh, why’d you expect I was gonna say no?”

George laughs, his foxy eyes crinkling as he rubbed his nose. Eggsy would’ve found it cute if it weren’t for the fact George looked like he was about to sneeze every time he laughed.

“Oh, you know…”

“No, I don’t.”

The dark-skinned man fidgets in his seat, looking a tad uncomfortable when he says, “Oh, just… you know, gossip here and there. Rumours, basically… of you having a boyfriend and all.”

Eggsy blinks, bewildered at what he just heard. People have been… gossiping about him? How the bloody hell do they even make time for that? And where the fuck did they get that atrocious story from? The only people he’s been spending time with have been Nathaniel and Amelia. And now that those two are dating, Eggsy is usually by himself. Aside from that, there are also the occasional visits from Harry, but that’s during the weekends and they’re always off-campus when they spend time together. At this point in his university life, Eggsy is aware that he can’t entertain himself to have a relationship. The mere thought of being in one is ludicrous, considering that he wants to finish his double-degree with flying colours.

“Look, mate, I don’t know what rumours you’re talking about. But rest assured that I don’t have a boyfriend,” Eggsy ultimately says. When he sees George’s expression perk up once more, Eggsy notes with slight discomfort that this date isn’t just a one-time thing for him. So against his better judgment, Eggsy quickly adds with feigned shyness, “And uh, to be honest, I’m not really looking for one right now. It’s not really on my top priority list, innit?”

If George is disappointed, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he just lamely says, “Oh. Yeah, that’s fine. Cool.”

Before the silence can become too awkward, their waiter finally arrives with their food. Eggsy’s never felt more grateful in his life than in that moment.

They don’t talk much after that. Dinner is a quiet affair; the only sounds they’re making are the clinking of their utensils and wine glasses. There’s a comment every now and then, may it be about the quality of the food (not as good as Eggsy had hoped, he notes with mild disappointment) and the questionable music choices (they’re playing _“Total Eclipse of the Heart”_ this time).

By the time they’ve finished their main course and Eggsy politely declines dessert, claiming that it’s getting pretty late and he has to be up early tomorrow to study for a quiz on Monday (a complete and utter lie), the young blond wonders how the night has gone from ‘really nice’ to ‘never doing this again’. Their bill arrives and it takes almost five minutes for Eggsy to convince George that they split the bill, much to the latter’s chagrin. It takes another ten minutes for them to get the change, for George to leave a hefty tip, and for the pair to gather their coats and finally exit the bustling establishment.

Eggsy half-hoped that they would split ways, but George insisted he walk Eggsy back to his dormitory. With an internal eye-roll and a quiet huff, Eggsy relents if only to appease his eager-to-please date.

They walk at a steady pace, and Eggsy thrusts his hands inside his coat’s pockets as his shoulder brushes against George’s upper arm every now and then. The comfortable silence is a welcome reprieve from the awkward atmosphere at the restaurant earlier.

Not for the first time that night, Eggsy ponders on why he accepted to go on this date in the first place. It’s not like he’s that interested in George. He’s easy on the eyes, yes, and he’s smart and very friendly. But Eggsy barely knows the guy; and it’s not like they spent hours getting to know each other tonight.

However, in the deepest recesses of his mind, he knows the answer to that. And the truth is, the answer to that thought should terrify Eggsy, but it doesn’t. Rather, what he feels is an odd combination of relief and bitter acceptance.

Several minutes pass, and as they near Eggsy’s dormitory building, the young blond decides to break the quietness between them.

“For what it’s worth, I still had a good time.” And he means it.

Eggsy turns his head and glances up at George, who cocks his head at him with a lopsided smile.

“Yeah, me too. Sorry that dinner sucked, though.”

Eggsy snorts. “Yeah, the food was pretty shit.”

“Right? I’ve never had pasta that tasted like rubber before.”

The pair share a laugh, the last vestiges of awkwardness between them fading into the chilly February night.

“You know,” George adds as an afterthought, his gaze ahead while Eggsy continues to stare up at him. “You’re a great bloke, Eggsy. You’re very smart, very attractive, and to top it all off - you have a great heart. Actually, that’s what drew me to you in the first place.”

Eggsy gulps. He doesn’t know what to say at this point so he keeps quiet. Fortunately, George doesn’t mind his silence for he carries on with his speech.

“Some selfish part of me wishes I was the one who could make you smile like you could conquer the world, or make your eyes light up like the fourth of July in America. But don’t get me wrong, yeah? ‘Cos I get it. It’s clear that your heart's set on a different path, and I don’t know if you notice it but I do now. And I’m pretty sure others do, too. So whoever makes you smile like that, I hope he knows how lucky he is to have someone like you.”

Eggsy feels his face warm with the heat of his blush, and before he can get a proper word out except to say his companion's name, he sees George suddenly halt in his steps, a slightly alarmed expression taking over his features as his eyes lock on something ahead of them.

Before Eggsy can voice his confusion, he turns his head and finds himself freezing on the spot.

Because that something actually ends up being a someone. And there, standing on the concrete steps, hips leaning against the planter, and dressed in a suit that looks slightly rumpled now is none other than Harry Hart. However, his eyes aren't fixed on Eggsy. From what he can see, his best friend is staring at Eggsy's date with an unreadable expression. He's not glaring, per se, but there's a deep frown on his face that Eggsy's never seen before.

But despite the skepticism he feels in that moment, Eggsy is more than delighted to see his best friend. After all, it has been five weeks since they last saw each other.

"Harry!" he belatedly hears himself shout in joy.

He sees Harry blink and avert his gaze from George who's still rooted to his spot, and focuses his attention on Eggsy.

Something indecipherable passes over his eyes, but it's gone before Eggsy can ponder further on it. Without wasting another second, Eggsy starts to move and closes the remaining distance between them. The older man does the same, walking down the remaining steps as a smile slowly blooms on his handsome face. Eggsy doesn't hesitate to launch himself in Harry's arms, his best friend quick to respond as Harry envelops his arms around Eggsy's waist in a tight embrace.

"Hello, Eggsy," Harry greets warmly in his ear. And for the first time since he let himself fall, Eggsy lets go. He closes his eyes and inhales Harry's familiar scent, unashamed of burrowing his nose on the crook of the tailor's neck. The strong arms around him tighten for a moment, and he feels Harry’s lips drop a quick kiss on the side of his head before the tailor slowly detaches himself. Before he can utter a word of protest, he hears Harry speak once more. "Who's your friend?"

The word 'friend' is uttered a little coldly, and as Eggsy takes a step back to gather his bearings, he can't help but frown at the impassive look on Harry's face as he stares at George.

Oh, shit. George.

Fuck, how could he quickly forget about his date?

He angles his body so he has a good view of both Harry and George, the latter looking between the two of them with realisation and resignation.

"Er, Harry," starts Eggsy, feeling the awkwardness of the situation. "This is George. He's in my Mediaval English Lit class, and he, uh. Well, we were..."

George, bless his soul, finally takes pity on Eggsy and finishes the young blond's poor attempt at explaining.

"We were just out on a date," the lanky dark-skinned man explains. He steps closer towards them and smiles politely at Harry as he offers his hand. "I'm George Hunter, sir."

Harry accepts the offered hand with a small amount of reluctance, shaking it briefly as he smiles tightly at the taller man.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Harry Hart," Harry introduces himself, his tone crisp and posh as if he’s talking to the fucking Queen. "Eggsy's best friend."

A look of understanding then flashes over George's eyes, and to Eggsy's mild astonishment, his polite smile becomes more genuine.

"I've heard quite a lot about you."

 _No, you haven't,_ Eggsy's mind supplies as he gawks at the other man. He doesn't have to glance at Harry to see that his best friend is also staring at George in undisguised shock.

“Well, it was nice meeting you,” continues George after a beat, silver eyes shifting between Eggsy and Harry before resting on the former with an odd glint. “I had a good time tonight, Eggsy. Sorry about dinner again.”

Eggsy ignores Harry’s eyes on him as he feels his face redden slightly.

“S’fine, George,” he replies with a wave of his hand. “Thanks for, you know.”

George smirks faintly, eyes darting to Harry who’s now wearing a steely expression with his jaw clenched shut.

“Remember what I told you, yeah? I’ll see you around, Eggsy.”

George doesn’t wait for Eggsy’s response; he turns around and starts to walk away, his tall and lean form cutting an imposing figure as the shadows of the trees engulf his frame completely the farther he walks away from them.

When they can no longer see his retreating form, Eggsy whirls on Harry with an indignant look.

“What the fuck was that about?”

Harry tilts his head to regard Eggsy with an innocent look. “I believe I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Like hell you don’t,” Eggsy snaps as he glares at his best friend. “You looked like you were about to beat George up.”

Harry’s face takes on a strained look as he answers back in a tight voice, “George looked like he was about to devour you.”

Eggsy scoffs. “What – him? No way, mate. I’d know it if a person wanted me like that. George ain’t into me like that.”

This time, it’s Harry’s turn to scoff. “I beg to differ. If I had not been here, then God knows what else could have happened.”

“The fuck are you on about? Like I’m some damsel in distress?” Eggsy states heatedly, feeling his hackles rise at the implication. “What, you think I can’t handle myself? Is that it?”

Harry narrows his eyes at him, nostrils flaring. “It isn’t, and you know bloody well know it. Don’t put words into my mouth.”

“Yeah, well you shouldn’t’ve made that kind of implication in the first place! What the fuck did you expect me to think, Harry?”

“I’m just trying to look after you, Eggsy! The same thing I’ve been doing since you were ten, in case you forgot.”

Oh, now that’s just so fucking low.

Eggsy glowers at him and then hisses, “I don’t need you to look after me like that! I’m twenty, for fuck’s sake. I can look after myself just fine.”

“Eggsy —“ now it’s Harry’s turn to growl.

But Eggsy is having none of it. Before he can stop himself, he callously blurts, “Harry, just stop, okay? Stop trying to be some sort of knight in shining armour. Look what happened the last time you tried to be one.”

And how he desperately wants to take those words back now, but the damage has been done. Harry has the appearance of someone who just got slapped - _hard_ \- and the look of hurt that flashes across his eyes caused by Eggsy, of all people, is something the young blond immediately regrets.

Swallowing through the huge lump that’s formed in his throat, Eggsy observes the way Harry breathes deeply, forcing his stiff posture to loosen.

“Harry, I’m —“ he starts.

“I’m sorry,” Harry cuts him off in a toneless voice. And for the first time since Eggsy’s known the man, the apology sounds flat to his ears. “I suppose waiting for hours in the cold fucked with my head a bit.”

And just as quick as his temper flares, it dissipates instantaneously upon hearing that confession.

“What?” Eggsy asks blankly. And then he remembers. “Hang on. Aren’t you supposed to be in Paris for another two days?”

Harry’s shoulders slump slightly, and he shifts his stance as he thrusts his hands inside his trousers’ pockets before replying. “I finished early, actually. The moment I arrived in London, I thought I’d surprise you with a visit. But you weren’t here, and I texted you. When you didn’t reply, I tried calling you, but it said your phone was turned off. Now that I think about it, maybe I should’ve called you first to see if you had other plans.”

Oh, god. Oh, fuck. Bury him now, please.

Eggsy is torn between feeling guilty and frustrated. Guilty because of the words he carelessly uttered to his best friend just minutes ago, and also the fact that he waited for Eggsy for four hours in the cold (he’s not even wearing a coat, for fuck’s sake); and frustrated because he could’ve spent Valentine’s Day with his best friend instead of going on a date with a bloke he barely knows. And at this time, they’re outside his dormitory building, arguing over something petty and nonsensical to begin with. Of all the fucking things to go wrong, it had to be tonight. Just his fucking luck, really. The world is absolutely taking the piss right now.

He’s at a complete loss for words at the moment, however. And all he can say is —

“I’m sorry. _Fuck_ , Harry, I’m so sorry.”

Harry’s impassive expression melts as he gazes at Eggsy softly, his honey-coloured eyes leaving the young blond feeling warmed all over.

“It’s fine, Eggsy,” Harry replies with a small quirk of his lips. “You didn’t know in the first place. It’s my mistake that I didn’t inform you beforehand.”

“It’s not your fault,” Eggsy insists, taking a small step towards the tailor. “I shouldn’t have gone on that…” He bites his lip, then, unable to finish his sentence. “I forgot my phone upstairs, it’s why I wasn’t answering. I’m sorry.”

Harry searches his face for something, and whatever he sees causes him to blink and look away.

Silence engulfs them for a long moment, the only noise coming from the cricketing of the crickets and the gust of wind, which causes tendrils of Harry’s once perfectly coiffed hair to fall over his eyes. Eggsy balls his hands into fists inside his coat pockets, the sudden urge to run his hand through the older man’s hair hitting him like a ton of bricks.

After some time, the tense silence is broken.

“You deserve to be happy, Eggsy,” Harry begins quietly. He appears tired all of a sudden. “Don’t be afraid to go after what - rather, who - you want. And you’re right - you are capable to look after yourself. It wasn’t my intention to make you think otherwise. I also apologise for my behaviour earlier, and my assumption about… George. That was uncalled for.”

Oh, forget about George! Eggsy doesn’t care about him. He cares about Harry more, and he cares about this - his and Harry’s friendship. He cares about the fact that Harry waited for him for hours in the chilly February weather, and he’s pissed for forgetting his phone in his room in the first place. Eggsy’s heart is close to bursting when all he wants to do is scream words he’s been longing to tell Harry.

_You make me happy. You’re the only person who’s capable of making me feel this way. I don’t want anyone else but you, you posh nerd. You’re the one for me, Harry. And if I can’t have you the way I want to, then being your best friend is more than enough._

“I should go,” he hears Harry say next, and Eggsy looks up to see the older man sighing heavily. “It’s getting late, and I have to catch the last bus going home.”

Eggsy blinks, a heavy weight settling at the pit of his stomach when he sees his best friend fix the lapels of his suit jacket. He utters the first words that pop into his muddled brain.

“Why don’t you stay the night? I have a spare mattress and you can take my bed.” _And then we can talk more and I’ll be able to gather my thoughts so I can make a better apology_ , his mind supplies.

Harry looks at him again, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“Thank you for the offer, my dear boy, but I’ll have to decline,” he says with an ounce of regret in his tone, and Eggsy swallows the disappointment he feels. Then, as an afterthought, Harry states further, “Before I forget, I also came to tell you that I’ll be away for three weeks. Maybe four, depending on the schedule. I leave for Australia on Monday evening, and I’ll be meeting your father and James in New York for a charity event the week after. I’m afraid the next time we meet will be on your Easter break.”

Harry looks extremely apologetic as he relays the news to Eggsy, who feels like he’s been sucker punched. And not for the first time that night, unfortunately.

“Oh. I see,” he answers feebly. Eggsy bites his lower lip, aware that this is the only time they’re going to see each other before work and studies separate them once more. So throwing caution to the wind, he takes another tentative step towards the tailor. “I’m so sorry, Harry. About what I said…”

Harry’s face crumbles as he shushes him and then closes the gap between them. Eggsy doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around his trim waist as Harry enfolds his arms around the young blond’s broad shoulders, one large hand splayed on his thick mop of blond hair. Eggsy savours the feeling of Harry’s warm and strong body against his; he memorises the way Harry’s arms wrap around him like a cocoon, and how the smooth texture of his bespoke suit feels against his hands and cheek. This feels right and perfect. Harry is the embodiment of safety and warmth and home; and Eggsy hates how his heart clenches painfully at the sheer want and longing he experiences in that moment.

He’s half-aware of Harry reluctantly disentangling his arms around him and taking a step back. He distantly hears Harry when the tailor says, “Take care of yourself. I promise to keep in touch with you.”

Eggsy probably nods his head for Harry bestows him another smile, although there’s sadness in his eyes that makes Eggsy blink back tears. But what he’s completely cognisant of is of Harry gently cupping his jaw and planting a tender kiss on his forehead.

“I’ll see you soon,” Harry murmurs, his thumb rubbing small circles on the angle of his jaw. Then he presses his lips softly against Eggsy’s forehead once more and then lets go.

Eggsy isn’t even aware he closed his eyes. When he finally opens them with a tiny gasp, it’s to see Harry’s retreating form, his attractive figure being engulfed by the shadows of the trees the farther he walks away from Eggsy.

###### 

Later that night, when he’s in nothing but his boxers and his phone is connected to the charger, Eggsy sits on the edge of his bed and waits for the device to boot up. When the Apple logo disappears and his screen lock of Daisy wearing a tiara and smiling toothily at the camera comes into view, he’s rendered speechless at the number of notifications that start to pop up. It takes almost a minute before his phone settles, and Eggsy slides his finger across the screen to see what he’s missed.

What he missed are messages from his mum and his mates Jamal and Ryan, a message from George (which he instantly deletes with no ounce of remorse), and twenty-seven missed calls and ten messages from Harry.

Dumbfounded, his mouth falls open and he makes a weird noise at the back of his throat that he didn’t know he was even capable of making. Feeling a huge lump in his throat, Eggsy taps his finger on Harry’s name to read the tailor’s messages.

 **Harry**  
**6:35PM**  
Happy Valentine’s Day, my dear boy. There’s a surprise waiting for you outside your door. :-)

 **Harry**  
**6:40PM**  
Eggsy? Are you in?

 **Harry**  
**6:50PM**  
I’ve been calling you but it’s just ringing. Where are you?

 **Harry**  
**7:10PM**  
Your silence is worrying me, Eggsy. Please reply to me as soon as you can. I’ll just wait downstairs for you.

 **Harry**  
**8:40PM**  
I just ate the take-away I brought with me. It’s from that Thai restaurant you love. I hope you have eaten.

 **Harry**  
**9:01PM**  
It’s been two hours now. I tried calling you again but the operator said your phone has been switched off. I’m not leaving until I see you safe and unharmed.

 **Harry**  
**9:22PM**  
It’s nearing nine-thirty now. Where the hell did you go, Eggsy? Who’s with you?

 **Harry**  
**9:45PM**  
I’d call your mother but I don’t want to worry her. Roxy’s phone is on silent and Merlin is out for the night as well, so I have no way of knowing your whereabouts and wellbeing.

 **Harry**  
**10:07PM**  
I’m afraid I’ll be taking my leave if you’re not here in the next thirty minutes. 

**Harry**  
**10:30PM**  
Aside from missing you terribly, I was also hoping to tell you this in person, but I suppose there’s no time like the present. I’m leaving for Australia on Monday evening. The next time we see each other will most likely be during your Easter break. I’m sorry, Eggsy.

“No, Harry,” Eggsy whispers brokenly. He’s not surprised to see his vision blur with tears as he clenches his phone, a lone tear falling on the screen and landing on Harry’s last message. “I’m the one who’s sorry.”

###### 

**Roxy**  
Hey, Eggs! It’s been days. How did your date go?

 **Eggsy**  
Sup, Rox.

 **Eggsy**  
Eh, It was fine

 **Roxy**  
Just fine? Why, was he a lousy snog? :P

 **Eggsy**  
No, nothing like that happened.

 **Roxy**  
Ohh. What, then?

 **Eggsy**  
You were right about the dinner (it was shit). And I found out from George that there are rumours on campus that I have a boyfriend. He asked me about them and I said no. Told him I got no plans for that right now, and he was all sad-puppy eyes about it. It was annoying.

 **Roxy**  
Oh.

 **Eggsy**  
Then George walked me back to the dormitory, and lo and behold, that’s when I saw Harry waiting for me in the steps.

 **Roxy**  
Ohhh…

 **Eggsy**  
It was awkward as fuck, Rox. George was looking at me all proper weird, and Harry looked like he was ready to commit murder.

 **Roxy**  
Oh, fuck.

 **Eggsy**  
George left, and then Harry and I got into a fight. And then I fucked it up by saying something that hurt him.

 **Roxy**  
It can’t have been that bad.

 **Eggsy**  
It was.

 **Roxy**  
What did you say?

 **Eggsy**  
I told him to stop acting like a knight in shining armour because the last time he tried to do that, it backfired.

 **Eggsy**  
And he waited for me in the cold for FOUR FUCKING HOURS. Without a coat.

 **Eggsy**  
And he texted and called me, but I was out on that date and I forgot my fucking phone. Why did I forget my fucking phone?

 **Roxy**  
Wow, Eggsy.

 **Roxy**  
You’re an idiot.

 **Eggsy**  
I know! And I don’t know how to fix it.

 **Eggsy**  
I mean, Harry and I are still talking. But it’s different now. :’(

 **Roxy**  
Different how? Have you apologised to him?

 **Eggsy**  
I have! But he just brushes it off every time, claiming that it was just a heat of the moment thing for me.

 **Eggsy**  
I don’t know what to do, Rox. He’s in Adelaide right now and I miss him so much. I can’t concentrate on my studies cos I keep thinking about him. He probably resents me right now.

 **Roxy**  
Oh, Eggsy. I don’t think Harry feels that way at all. Just give it time.

 **Eggsy**  
No. I just want us to be okay already.

 **Eggsy**  
He hasn’t called me ‘my dear boy’ since that night, and it’s already been a week.

 **Roxy**  
Oh my god

 **Eggsy**  
I know

 **Roxy**  
Eggsy.

 **Eggsy**  
What

 **Roxy**  
You’re my best friend, and I just want what’s best for you. So be honest with me.

 **Roxy**  
Is there something else you’re not telling me?

* * * 

Five minutes later, her phone starts to ring and Roxy is mildly surprised to see Eggsy’s face on her screen. She presses the green button and holds the phone to her ear.

Silence greets her on the end of the line.

“Eggsy?” Roxy calls out tentatively. Worry starts to build in her gut; she’s never seen her best friend act like this before.

For a moment, neither speaks. But then the young woman hears Eggsy declare in a strangled voice, “Rox, I’m in love with Harry.”

 _Oh,_ she thinks, dumbstruck as her eyes widen at the unexpected revelation.

Well, shit. It’s times like this when she hates being right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry.


	4. Year 11 (2011); Part Two (Harry)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Harry met Eggsy all those years ago, the tailor never expected the young boy would someday become his best friend, much less the most important figure in his life. But here he is ten years later, and at the age of forty-five Harry has witnessed Eggsy exceed everyone’s expectations.
> 
> Through it all, Harry has been there for Eggsy every step of the way. Through the good and the bad, in his highs and lows, Harry observed how Eggsy had grown into the remarkable and handsome man he is now. But of course, the pieces only fell into place when Harry was almost beat to death by trying to be a Good Samaritan.
> 
> He’s fallen in love with his best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thanks to jevilier for being such a patient, encouraging, and supportive friend. You're so awesome and I absolutely adore you. <3
> 
> So I got a little bit carried away. Okay, a lot. Writing in Harry's POV is quite a challenge and I've gone past 15k, so I decided to split this. Again. Also, this is now officially my longest fic! Hooray!
> 
> Now, I'm not completely satisfied with how this chapter turned out, but I did my best and I hope you guys will still enjoy this. I borrowed some real life experiences in some scenes and they're mostly Hartwin-related, plus I dreamt of one Hartwin scene which I hope delivers well. This is self-beta'd, so I apologise for any mistakes.
> 
> Please enjoy reading and do let me know what you think!

  
_"The fact that you're not answering leads me to believe you're either (a) not at home, (b) home but don't want to talk to me, or (c) home, desperately want to talk to me, but trapped under something heavy. If it's either (a) or (c), please call me back."_ \- Harry Burns; When Harry Met Sally (1989)

#### Year 11 (2011); Harry's POV

When Harry met Eggsy all those years ago, the tailor never expected the young boy would someday become his best friend, much less the most important figure in his life. But here he is ten years later, and at the age of forty-five Harry has witnessed Eggsy exceed everyone’s expectations. He bore witness to Eggsy’s discovery of his sexuality and the slow but gradual journey of his acceptance, of his achievements in gymnastics and - later on - in fencing. He has tutored Eggsy in Maths, a subject his young friend always found difficulty in, and has picked him up from school in several occasions. He listened to his problems and complaints in regards to school, family, and his sexuality, and Harry offered him the best advice he can think of. He was there when Eggsy cried when he was removed form the Gymnastics Club, and Harry was present when he graduated from secondary school as Valedictorian.

Through it all, Harry has been there for Eggsy every step of the way. Through the good and the bad, in his highs and lows, Harry observed how Eggsy had grown into the remarkable and handsome man he is now. But of course, the pieces only fell into place when Harry was almost beat to death by trying to be a Good Samaritan.

Waking up from a coma does change one’s outlook in life. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your background is – when you happen to experience being on the fucking brink between life and death for an indeterminate amount of time, everything just sort of falls into perspective. You start to prioritise what you haven’t prioritised before, and the sudden epiphanies you have leaves you overwhelmed and frightened.

As for Harry, he obviously went through that same ordeal when he woke up from his two-month coma. But it still didn’t prepare him for the unexpected surge of emotion that swelled in his chest the moment he laid eyes on Eggsy’s sleeping form by his hospital bed. That same emotion gradually increased when Eggsy’s bright green eyes met his, and it was in that instant that Harry was able to discern what he’s been feeling for Eggsy for quite some time now.

He’s fallen in love with his best friend.

And what a revelation that was for the tailor, to harbour romantic feelings for a boy less than half his age.

 _Young man_ , he corrects himself.

Eggsy’s turning twenty-one in a few months, and it’s a harsh reminder for the tailor of the wide age gap they have. Never in a million years did Harry expect himself to fall for his young best friend, and yet here he is.

Generally speaking, they say the scariest part of falling is when you take the leap. But it actually isn’t. It’s after you take that plunge that’s the scariest; when you’re in that brief but timeless journey as you plummet to your destination. For Harry, that’s the most terrifying part. Not the jump, not the landing - but the fall. And at this point, despite everything that happened that fateful night on Valentine’s Day, Harry is still uncertain on how things will turn out.

It’s been a week since he last saw Eggsy, and approximately twenty-two hours since they last spoke. Of course, the time zone is already one viable reason to excuse the delay in Harry’s response to Eggsy’s texts, but it doesn’t escape his notice that he’s semi-consciously avoiding the boy.

 _Young man_ , he chides himself once more.

It’s after a day of kissing the client’s arse (“Yes, we will have the suits delivered in four months’ time,” he had said with a polite smile, although in his mind Harry was cursing the beady-eyed misogynist six ways from Sunday) and walking in his bespoke suit under the searing Adelaide heat, that Harry finally returns to his hotel room. He quickly strips off his jacket and waistcoat, loosens his tie, and carefully toes off his shoes and socks. He’s relieved that it’s his last night in the country as by this time tomorrow he’ll be en route to New York to meet up with James and Lee for the charity event. He turns the AC on and quickly orders room service before sitting on the edge of his bed. He’s just finished rolling his sleeves to his elbows when he remembers to check his mobile phone, which he has switched to silent all day.

As if mentally preparing himself, Harry sighs deeply and digs his phone out from his trousers pocket. He presses the home button of his iPhone 4 and isn’t surprised to see a few text messages from Eggsy. He slides his thumb across the screen to unlock the device, and Harry moves across the bed so he’s leaning against the headboard. Satisfied and finally comfortable in his position, he reads his young best friend’s messages, the latest being an hour and a half ago.

 **Eggsy**  
**3:45PM**  
Morning, Harry. It’s probably nearing late afternoon there, but I’m about to head to class. Hope you’re having a good day so far.

 **Eggsy**  
**6:02PM**  
Guess what? I fucking aced my recitation today!

 **Eggsy**  
**6:23PM**  
It’s evening there now, ain’t it? Don’t forget to eat your dinner.

 **Eggsy**  
**7:00PM**  
Just text me whenever you’re free, yeah? I’m free for the day now, so I’ll be in my dorm if you ever want to talk later. Take care.

By the time Harry reads the final message, his fond smile slowly diminishes until he’s left frowning at his phone. Okay, so maybe it’s also slightly his fault why he and Eggsy are walking on eggshells around each since that fateful night. He’s not mad at the young man, so to speak. In fact, he’s forgiven him already. But he’s still hurting over the words so callously uttered at Harry’s person that he can’t help but still cling to that, no matter how petulant it may appear to be.

_“Harry, just stop, okay? Stop trying to be some sort of knight in shining armour. Look what happened the last time you tried to be one.”_

The tailor winces as the words play back in his mind like a tape recorder. He’s not the type of person to hold grudges, but for some unfathomable reason that he can’t pinpoint just yet, Harry elects to ignore the rational part of his brain. It’s immature of him, yes, and utterly ungentlemanly of him to resort to such petty behaviour, but Harry is only human after all. He’s not impenetrable; and he knows that Eggsy is aware of just how sensitive Harry truly is. That’s why he was stunned beyond belief when his best friend delivered that statement laden with scorn and anger.

 _He’s young_ , his mind helpfully supplies as he taps his thumb on the screen to prevent it from going dark. _He has so much to see and experience, you pathetic codger. Now remove that stick up your arse and fucking talk to him like an adult._

Harry sighs, realising that from an outsider’s perspective his behaviour towards the younger man is appalling. And considering the fact that it’s Eggsy who continues to reach out to him, who continues to apologise profusely to Harry for fucking up - it’s a testament to how much Eggsy has grown and matured over the years.

With a small smile, Harry finally brings both his thumbs to the keyboard as he types a message before pressing send.

 **Harry**  
Hello, Eggsy. I just got back in the hotel. Sorry for missing your messages, my phone was on silent the whole afternoon as I was with the client.

He chews lower lip and hesitates only briefly before he types another message.

 **Harry**  
Congratulations on your recitation. I never doubted your intelligence.

Just as Harry pressed send, he receives a reply from Eggsy.

 **Eggsy**  
Hey, Harry. It’s alright, I understand. Have you eaten?

Harry smiles softly at his phone, touched at the thoughtfulness of the young blond who is thousands of miles away. And despite the slight tension (okay, that’s putting it mildly) between them at present, it warms Harry’s heart that Eggsy is exerting so much effort in fixing his mistakes.

But there’s nothing to fix, really. Harry has forgiven Eggsy already, but it’s his own stubbornness to remain hurt over the incident that leads them into the present situation. Let it not be said that Harry Hart can’t get utterly petulant around the people he loves when he’s been wronged. And the road to remedying that attitude of him is still a work in progress.

 **Harry**  
Not yet, but I’ve ordered room service. How are your studies?

 **Eggsy**  
Yeah, it’s going well. I have exams in a few weeks before Easter break, so I’m revising now.

 **Harry**  
That’s good to know, Eggsy. I’m confident that you will pass with flying colours.

Just then, there’s a knock on his door. Thinking that it’s his food, Harry leaves his phone on the bed to open the door and greet the person on the other side. Once the food is set on the table near the closet, Harry doesn’t hesitate to dig in his meal, which consists of artichoke soup, bresaola salad, coffee, and fresh orange juice. As he eats his late dinner, he completely forgets about his conversation with Eggsy for the time being.

Thirty minutes later, he sets about preparing for bed. He strips out of his remaining clothes and decides to take a quick shower to get rid of the sticky feeling of dried sweat. He brushes his teeth and applies moisturiser to his face before switching the light off in the bathroom.

It’s when he’s dressed in his pyjamas and ready to turn in for the night when he sees his phone near the pillow that he remembers he was talking to Eggsy almost an hour ago. Cursing his forgetfulness, he quickly slides his thumb across the device’s screen to read two texts he missed from Eggsy.

 **Eggsy**  
Thanks, bruv. It really means a lot to me.

 **Eggsy**  
You must be eating now. I’ll just be here when you come back.

Harry’s thumbs quickly fly over the tiny keyboard before he presses send.

 **Harry**  
I apologise for not getting back to you so soon, my dear boy. I think I was more famished than I thought.

 **Harry**  
I’ve finished preparing for bed. I have a flight tomorrow evening for New York, and I’m thinking of doing a bit of tourist shopping. Is there anything you wanted here?

As he finally settles into bed and he switches off the bedside lamp, Harry only has to wait for three minutes for Eggsy’s reply.

 **Eggsy**  
It’s okay, Harry. You should sleep now, though. I know you had a long day.

Harry is about to reply when he receives another text.

 **Eggsy**  
Nah, I’m good. Just get back here at the soonest, though, yeah?

 **Harry**  
I will. Thank you, Eggsy. And are you sure you don’t want anything from here?

This time, it takes longer than three minutes before Harry receive Eggsy’s reply, and he feels his stomach do somersaults once he reads it.

 **Eggsy**  
How about your forgiveness?

 _Oh my fuck_ , Harry thinks as he closes his eyes and thumps his head against the fluffy pillow. He breathes deeply through his nose, and in that moment he finally accepts his fate. He knows now that he can never say no to anything when it comes to Eggsy Unwin. He’s fucked. Well and truly fucked.

 **Harry**  
Oh, Eggsy. I already forgave you a week ago. You have nothing to apologise for now. I’ve told you so before.

 **Eggsy**  
It still doesn’t feel like it, though.

 **Harry**  
What do you mean?

 **Eggsyy**  
I just think you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder this past week. But you still talk to me the same, so I don’t know if you’re still mad at me or something.

Harry can’t help but wince upon reading Eggsy’s response. It never ceases to amaze him just how well Eggsy knows him; it’s very flattering, really. And at the same time it leaves him feeling a tad bewildered at just how well his best friend knows him. He’s full of surprises, indeed.

 **Harry**  
I’m sorry, Eggsy. It’s just been a tiring week, albeit a slightly frustrating one. It wasn’t my intention to let you think otherwise.

It really wasn’t, swear to God, but Harry thinks maybe he took it too far. He thumps his head against his pillow and wonders not for the first time this week why he’s acting like a complete and utter tit.

 _Get that stick out of your arse, Hart_ , the rational part of his mind snaps.

Before he can think of a response, his phone alerts him with a new text.

 **Eggsy**  
It’s okay. I guess we just have to talk this out when you get back.

 _No doubt about that_ , Harry types back and presses send.

 **Eggsy**  
Okay, that’s good. You should get some sleep now, Harry. It’s getting late.

 **Harry**  
Indeed, it is. Good night, Eggsy. Take care of yourself.

 **Eggsy**  
I always do. You take care and have a safe flight tomorrow.

 **Harry**  
Thank you. I will and I’ll talk to you soon.

He’s about to switch his phone off when he decides to send one last message.

 **Harry**  
I miss you, Eggsy. I’ll see you soon.

He finally switches his phone off and sets it on the bedside table. With the long and tiring day he had, it doesn’t take long for Harry to fall asleep. So it isn’t until the next morning when he wakes up and he reads Eggsy’s replies to his texts.

 **Eggsy**  
Yeah, just message me anytime, okay? I’ll reply when I wake up tomorrow.

 **Eggsy**  
I miss you, too. A lot. See you soon.

###### 

New York is buzzing with tourists and citizens alike. Harry can’t help but frown at the untidiness of the city; the traffic is fucking awful and don’t even get him started on foot traffic. But at its very core, Harry can’t help but admire at how alive everything and everyone is. The city thrums with excited chatter of the crowds, music blasting from all sides, and vehicles honking every two seconds; the older tailor can see the appeal of the Big Apple but he sorely misses the comfort and idyllic scene of London.

After checking in at St. Regis Hotel, Harry doesn’t hesitate to crash in the comfortable bed to sleep off his jet lag. But before doing so, he fires off a text to James and Lee, alerting the two other tailors that he has arrived in New York and not to interrupt him as he plans to sleep for the next two days. Luckily, the charity event they have to attend won’t be for another three days, so Harry has more than enough time to recuperate. After sending the texts to his colleagues, he types a separate message to Eggsy.

 **Harry**  
Hello, Eggsy. I’m in New York now. I’ve finally settled in my hotel room and will be sleeping for the next two days. Good luck on your presentation today (or is it tomorrow?). I miss you. xxxx

If Harry were more alert, he probably would’ve been more conscious of what he was typing, but as that isn’t the case, the older man couldn’t bring himself to care. Pleased, he hits send and sets his phone on silent before he turns the lamp off and adjusts his position to get more comfortable. At long last, it barely takes a minute before Harry succumbs to dreamland.

* * * 

“How long do we have to stay in this boring event?” James asks drolly as he takes another sip of his champagne. “I’ve kissed every arse who was willing to listen to me tonight.”

To his right, Lee smothers his snort with a cough as the shorter tailor replies, “Late enough but not too late. I believe William wishes to speak to the three of us before we take our leave.”

“About what? The state of his appalling suit? If we can even call it a suit. A garbage bag would look more presentable on his person than that… outfit.”

“No, you tit,” Harry replies on James’ other side, unable to hide his amused smirk. He takes a sip of his martini before he adds, “He’s interested in investing in Kingsman. It would be beneficial for us to have one of the most powerful people in the fashion industry invest in our business.”

James makes a noncommittal sound as he takes a sip of his drink, but Harry swears he heard the other man mumble, “What I’d do to burn his suit and every other atrocious outfit he owns.”

The three Kingsman tailors are currently in the ballroom of Four Seasons Hotel in New York, and the charity event has been going on in full swing for a solid three hours already. Harry’s feet are beginning to ache from standing for a long period of time and he’s starting to feel the stiffness of his jaw from talking to anyone who showed interest in his profession and what Kingsman is about. Aside from the fairly large amount of money Kingsman has donated, Harry thinks that their business is running better than ever. It’s not even halfway through the new year yet but they earned nearly twice the profit they achieved in the whole of last year. And considering the fact that they’re still understaffed – although the training period for the newest batch of tailors is almost done – it’s an admirable feat that they have accomplished.

“So,” James begins, startling Harry out of his thoughts. He turns his attention to the bright-eyed tailor who’s dressed in a beige checkered suit (his favourite, apparently) with a turquoise pocket square and black oxfords. “I just heard through the grapevine that Merlin’s going to introduce his girlfriend to us come Easter.”

Harry raises an eyebrow at the news. “I wasn’t even aware he had a girlfriend.”

James snickers as he replies, “He’s the most secretive in our circle, and so it’s not really a surprise he’s kept it this long.”

“And how long have they been together?” Harry inquires, his interest piqued.

This time, it’s Lee who answers with a smirk. “Long enough, I suppose, if it’s taken him this long to tell us.”

Harry hums and nods in thought. Instead of feeling betrayed that Merlin couldn’t trust him enough to share this important piece of information to him, he feels genuinely happy for his oldest friend. He can’t remember the last time Merlin was in a committed and happy relationship; it’s that long, apparently. But come to think of it, Harry has noticed that Merlin appears to be in high spirits recently. He can’t exactly pinpoint on when he’s noticed it, but Harry can remember the state of bliss their resident accountant has been in the past couple of months. Harry is slightly ashamed to admit that he initially thought it was because his friend was back to being a tomcat, but it seems that that isn’t the case.

Finally, Harry states with mild amusement, “Well, I’m hoping the shock value is worth the wait.”

James laughs heartily as Lee suddenly asks, “Are you going home to London after tonight?”

Slightly puzzled at the sudden change of topic, Harry minutely shakes his head. “I have two more trips after this. I leave for Argentina the day after tomorrow and will be there for three days. Then, I’ll make my last trip to Cape Town. I’ll likely be there for almost a week since Edward wants me to make some last-minute inspection on those suits we made for his son’s wedding.”

“Bellend,” James quips, and the three of them share a laugh.

Harry rolls his eyes and then says, “It’s a small price to pay for the fat pay check he gave us.”

“Agreed,” Lee comments as he raises his flute glass in a toast. They’re silent for a while before the older Unwin chooses to break it with an amused expression. “Is it just me or are they really playing a Brit pop song right now?”

Curious, Harry and James share a look before they listen closely to the song that’s currently playing. It doesn’t take long before Harry immediately recognises the music being played, and he’s not surprised when the first thing that comes to his mind upon hearing the familiar tune is Eggsy.

“It is, indeed,” Harry says at last with a nod. He looks at them, James looking as if he’s struggling to remember the name of the song or the band while Lee is humming the tune under his breath. “I believe that song is called ‘The Flood’ and is sung by Take That.”

Maybe he should’ve just kept his mouth shut instead, for the amazed looks that Lee and James throw him makes his ears flush.

“Well look at you, Harry Hart,” James teases with that familiar shit-eating grin. “I never pegged you to be so updated with pop culture, old friend.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Harry snorts, though a small upwards twitch of his lips gives away his amusement. “I have Eggsy to blame. That’s his favourite band. And in case you forgot, I believe it’s also your sister-in-law’s favourite, _old_ friend.”

James casually flips him the bird while Lee laughs. The older Unwin claps him on the back as he regards Harry with an indiscernible look over James’ shoulder.

“Isn’t that the band with Gary Barlow in it?” Lee inquires thoughtfully. “I think I saw a couple of them posters in Eggsy’s room a few years back.”

Harry raises his eyebrows and files away that new fact for teasing purposes. Trust Lee to casually drop tidbits about his best friend like that.

“Yes, that’s the one. According to Eggsy, they’re having a tour across Europe this summer, but tickets have sold out on its first day of sale.” Harry replies nonchalantly.

“Yeah? Guess my son will have to sit that one out again,” Lee remarks, smirking.

Harry just smiles and chooses not to say anything on the matter. After all, it wouldn’t bode well for him if he informs Lee now that he was able to pull some strings and acquire a few tickets for the concert this coming summer. He’ll just have to wait until he can give them to Eggsy, which he should’ve done last Valentine’s Day if it weren’t for, well, what transpired that fateful evening.

Suddenly, he sees recognition dawn on James’ face as the man exclaims, “Oh! Didn’t they sing that hit song in the ‘90s? What was it again? I think it goes something like, _’whatever I said, whatever I did, I didn’t mean it’_ —“

Lee swiftly slaps a hand across James’ mouth while Harry shushes the exuberant man.

“Are you mad?” Harry hisses as he eyes their vicinity. He’s relieved when nobody even spares them a glance, minus the occasional appreciative look from a passing man or woman. “You can barely carry a tune. Do you want us to lose prospective clients and investors?”

Lee slowly detaches his hand from his best friend’s mouth, only to see James’ shit-eating grin as he looks at them.

“You cock,” Lee remarks with a surprised chuckle, and Harry guesses that he instantly recognises the look James is giving them. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

James shrugs. “Like I mentioned earlier, this is a boring event. I need some entertainment, gentlemen.”

Harry and Lee share a look and roll their eyes in unison.

“You’ll be reuniting with your husband in less than forty-eight hours,” Harry reminds him with a pointed look. He checks his Bremont watch before adding, “Besides, we only have to stay for another two hours before we can take our leave.”

“Oh, thank fuck,” James groans in relief.

Harry is about to comment on James’s whining when he sees Lee elbow James on the ribs. The older Unwin then hisses to them both, “Our one o’clock, William’s just spotted us and is making his way here. Appear lively, gentlemen.”

Harry internally sighs and, spotting a waiter carrying a new round of drinks, he easily takes one flute of champagne from the tray. He carefully runs a hand through his coiffed hair as he brings his game face on.

James mutters under his breath, “Two hours. Just have to think we’re three dapper gentlemen spies about to take down the worst-dressed villain of the century.”

Harry fights off a smirk and from the corner of his eye, he observes Lee purse his lips to refrain from laughing. Oddly enough, it’s a very entertaining thought and one Harry doesn’t mind indulging in.

###### 

Nearly two weeks later following the charity event they attended in New York City, Harry’s plane touches London soil in the early hours of the morning. He hauls his luggage at the boot of the cab and tiredly gives the driver his location in Stanhope Mews. Due to the earliness of the hour, it doesn’t take long until they reach his destination. Giving the driver a wad of cash that likely exceeds the amount displayed in the meter, Harry thanks the elderly man after retrieving his duffel bag and walks towards the familiar doorstep of his home.

After that, Harry goes through the motions of a routine he’s established since he became a tailor in Savile Row. He takes the stairs one at a time to go to his bedroom where he carelessly tosses the duffel bag towards the direction of his dresser. He toes off his soiled oxfords and quickly strips out of his two-day bespoke suit. He feels sticky with dried sweat and the accumulated grime that can only come from traveling by air but Harry can’t really be arsed to care at this point. He barely remembers to open the curtains of the patio doors before trudging towards the welcoming comfort of his bed. Instead of setting an alarm clock, the older tailor concludes that the sunlight coming from the glass-paned doors will be enough to wake him up.

Stripped to his boxer briefs, Harry settles on top of the covers. But before he can even close his eyes, he suddenly recalls something he’s almost forgotten to do. And it’s through the sheer force of will that Harry picks up his phone from the nightstand to clumsily send Eggsy a text message.

 **Harry**  
Good morning, Eggsy. I just arrived home but I’ll be sleeping the rest of the day. I’ll see you soon.

He sends the text and, after checking that his phone is on silent, he places it back on the nightstand and positions himself comfortably in the middle of his king-sized bed. As the sun slowly rises in the horizon, the pleasant warmth of daylight slowly bathes Harry’s room, and it doesn’t take long until his breaths start to deepen and he falls into a dreamless slumber.

And just as he falls asleep, he doesn’t hear the vibration of his mobile phone alerting a response from his best friend.

 **Eggsy**  
Welcome home, Harry. Rest well and I’ll visit you soon. :)

* * * 

He wakes up in the late afternoon, as the sun is about to set. Feeling well-rested for the first time in weeks, Harry indulges himself in having a bit of a lie-in. Eventually, the need to take a hot and thorough shower wins out and it’s with a groan that he forces himself to get out of bed. After stretching out the kinks in his back and neck with a wince, Harry moves to retrieve his phone from the nightstand and isn’t surprised to see it’s drained of battery. After finding his charger at the deepest end of his duffel bag, he connects his phone to the adapter and pads barefoot to the en suite.

The sun has long set and it’s just after dusk when Harry finishes putting the dishes in the dishwasher when he hears the doorbell ring. He checks the clock in the kitchen wall and is mildly surprised to see that it’s only gone past seven in the evening. He’s not exactly expecting visitors at this time, but Harry has an idea of who it could be.

Clad in just his pyjamas, his favourite knitted cardigan, and a pair of thick socks, Harry makes his way to the main entrance of the house and unbolts the locks to open the door. There, standing on the front steps dressed in faded jeans, black Converse shoes, and a midnight blue crewneck sweater that Harry remembers gifting him two Christmases ago, is none other than Eggsy Unwin.

The young blond glances up when the door opens, and Harry feels his heart stutter in his chest as those wide green eyes meet his.

Oh, how he’s terribly missed those gorgeous eyes.

“Eggsy,” he hears himself utter, and he mentally chides himself for sounding a little breathless just then.

Eggsy either elects to ignore it or he genuinely doesn’t notice it (thank God if that’s the case) for his best friend replies with a shy smile, “Hey, Harry.”

“Please, come inside.”

He opens the door wider and steps aside to let him in. Eggsy mutters his thanks as he steps inside Harry’s house, and as the latter moves to close and lock the door, Eggsy toes off his shoes and deposits it near the door. They move in a synchronised manner that clearly shows the routine they have established over the years, but as Harry and Eggsy stand in front of each other in the entrance hall, the tension that they’ve ignored since that terrible night in February seems to resonate tenfold in the comfort and privacy of Harry’s home.

They’re both silent for a long while. And then —

“Harry —“

“Eggsy —“

They abruptly stop, and Eggsy laughs awkwardly while Harry smiles bashfully.

 _It’s not that hard, really. Just open your mouth and say something not stupid_ , Harry tells himself. He takes a deep breath as he thinks of what to say, but the young man before him promptly interrupts his thoughts.

“How’ve you been?” Eggsy asks, shoulders slightly hunched and hands deep in his pockets.

Harry slightly hesitates before he answers, “I’ve been better, thank you. And how are you? When did you arrive home?”

Eggsy nods, still avoiding Harry’s gaze.

“Yeah, I’m good. I got here yesterday afternoon. And when I got your text this morning, I figured I’d visit you tonight, so…” He trails off, not knowing what to say next.

Harry doesn’t even know what to say after that; he nods his head and clears his throat. They continue to stand in the middle of the entrance hall for God knows how long, Eggsy’s eyes burning a hole on the ground while Harry’s remain on Eggsy’s face. He takes notes of his dark blond hair that seems longer now, and the more Harry looks at Eggsy the more he can see how sunken the young man’s face has become. The circles under his eyes appear darker and it looks like he’s lost a bit of weight. Swallowing through the lump that has grown in his throat, Harry hates to think that he’s the cause of his best friend’s distress.

Before he can utter anything else aside from a muted “Eggsy”, the young man finally raises his head to meet Harry’s eyes, and whatever Harry was about to say dies in his throat when he sees the sorrowful look in his best friend’s eyes.

“I — it’s really great to see you again,” Eggsy starts, his voice wavering slightly. Then, as if resolute, he tilts his chin higher. “But there’s another reason why I came here tonight.”

“Okay,” Harry says quietly with a nod, although it ends up sounding like a question.

Eggsy carries on, at the same time he brings his hands out of his pockets and Harry catches a glimpse of something silver in his right hand.

“I know you told me that you’ve forgiven me and all, but it ain’t right for me to just move on and forget everything that’s happened. You know me, I can’t pretend to be okay with something that still bothers me, and I ain’t gonna settle until it’s resolved. I’ve apologised at least a hundred times in several ways, and it got me thinking that it’s not enough ‘cos we were continents apart and our only mode of communication were our phones. So,” Eggsy swallows inaudibly, and Harry becomes aware of his palms starting to sweat because he has no fucking clue of where this is going. But he doesn’t break eye contact with the younger man, doesn’t notice that with every sentence uttered, the aching distance between them gradually lessens. “So the bottom line is that I’m so, so fucking sorry for what I said that night. Harry, please believe me when I say the reason I said that is ’cos I was fucking pissed and confused. I didn’t mean it, not a single word of it. I’m so fucking sorry for hurting you; it was never my intention, although at the time I wasn’t thinking straight. I fucked up, I know, and I understand if you don’t completely forgive me yet. I’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you, Harry. I fucking swear, I’ll even dust Mr. Pickle if you want —“

In the end, Harry doesn’t let him finish. With a choked noise he makes at the back of his throat, he closes the remaining distance between them and takes Eggsy’s slightly shaking form in his arms.

“Oh, my dear Eggsy,” Harry utters softly in his ear, and he’s unable to hide the deep affection he feels in his voice. He feels the younger man stiffen, and it only takes a fraction of a second before Eggsy slowly wraps his arms around Harry’s trim waist. “You need not trouble yourself. I am terribly sorry for causing you pain and anxiety over this ordeal. Though, I will be honest; I was incredibly hurt by what you said, but please, please know that I forgive you. I have forgiven you since that night so you have nothing to apologise for now. How could I not? You’re the most important person in my life, my darling boy.”

Harry then feels Eggsy’s body start to shake with sobs, and he responds by tightening his hold around the younger man’s shoulders, one hand splayed at the nape of his neck, fingers caressing the soft hairs soothingly. Harry murmurs “I forgive you” and “We’re okay” in Eggsy’s ear, alternating between planting kisses on the side of his head and rubbing his back in a circular motion with his other hand.

He pays no mind to the fact that his best friend is most likely spreading snot on his favourite cardigan, but he honestly doesn’t mind. At this point, Eggsy only tightens his grip around Harry’s waist, fists clenched tightly around the fabric of his clothes as he continues to cry in the safety of Harry’s warm embrace. They stay in that position for a long time, Harry shushing Eggsy every time the younger man mumbles “I’m sorry” every now and then.

Eventually, Eggsy’s sobs subside until he’s left breathing heavily through his mouth. Harry disentangles his arms around the younger man’s shoulders but doesn’t step away, only to retrieve a handkerchief from the back pocket of his pyjamas. Bringing one hand to cup the side of Eggsy’s neck, he brings his other hand with the handkerchief to Eggsy’s nose.

With a small smile, Harry simply tells him to —

“Blow.”

Okay, so maybe he could’ve phrased that differently, he notes with a small wince.

Eggsy chuckles lightly, and there’s a glint in his eyes that Harry sees but it immediately disappears so he’s left thinking if it was just a reflection of the light or the remaining tears that still cling to Eggsy’s long lashes.

“You’re treating me like a kid again,” Eggsy says, voice muffled by the handkerchief. “I can do it myself, you know.”

Harry huffs but he smirks good-naturedly. “Just indulge me this once. Now - blow your nose, please.”

Thankfully, his best friend doesn’t protest or complain further for he quietly blows his nose into Harry’s monogrammed handkerchief. Satisfied, Harry folds the cloth in two and then wipes Eggsy’s nose clean before folding it again and thrusting the soiled cloth inside the pocket of his cardigan.

“Harry,” Eggsy starts fondly, voice low and raspy. He tightens his arms around Harry’s waist, and the tailor slowly realises that he never let go. “You ridiculous posh nerd.”

Harry looks at him, and his heart stutters in his chest at how bright and expressive Eggsy’s eyes are. He marvels at the freckles that dust across Eggsy’s nose and at the small blush across his cheeks from his breakdown earlier. His breath hitches when his eyes travel down to Eggsy’s lips, slightly parted as if in invitation, and so incredibly tempting.

Harry brings his eyes back to meet Eggsy’s, and he’s floored at the deep affection and trust he sees there. And in that moment, he feels the last vestiges of his resolve break.

Harry doesn’t hesitate to hold the younger man’s face in his hands. His thumbs slowly caress Eggsy’s cheekbones; the latter’s eyes falling shut as he quietly sighs. Barely hesitating to consider what he’s about to do, Harry leans down to press a kiss on each eyelid. He distantly hears Eggsy’s breath hitch as Harry moves to bestow a sweet kiss on his forehead.

“Is this okay?” Harry whispers against Eggsy’s skin.

“Yeah,” the younger man whispers back.

He feels more than hears Eggsy whisper his name across his skin as Harry continues with his ministrations. He plants a soft kiss on the crease between Eggsy’s brows, then to the bridge of his nose and down to the tip of it. He smiles when Eggsy scrunches his nose up with a giggle, but it’s abruptly cut off when Harry carries on kissing his cheeks, his hands moving down until Harry is cupping his jaw.

“Feeling better?” Harry finally asks in a quiet voice after he leaves one last kiss on Eggsy’s forehead.

A dimpled smile slowly starts to form on Eggsy’s face as he slowly opens his eyes to gaze up at Harry’s.

“Much better,” he replies, sounding breathless.

Then before Harry can do or say anything, Eggsy stands a bit on his tiptoes to kiss his chin. However, it doesn’t stop there and Harry finds that he’s unable to stop whatever is happening as his eyes close of his own accord. He can feel butterflies fluttering in his stomach when Eggsy’s lips move to leave kisses on his jaw. One arm around him loosens, only to find Eggsy’s slightly trembling hand travel up his chest to wrap around his neck. It’s a warm and pleasant weight, and it terrifies Harry how utterly perfect and right this all feels.

“You’re too good for me,” he hears Eggsy murmur softly, lips ghosting over the angle of Harry’s jaw. He makes a noise as if to interrupt him but Eggsy carries on, ignoring him as he moves his lips to the other side of Harry’s face, peppering sweet kisses on his cheek and jaw. “And I was so scared. I thought I was gonna lose you. It felt like I already was.”

“You won’t,” Harry answers firmly, eyes still closed shut. He relocates one hand to wrap around the younger man’s waist, and what little space remained between them basically disappears when he pulls Eggsy closer to him. He’s weak, so fucking weak, and he knows it. A small part of Harry is yelling at him to stop this before it escalates further, but the bigger part of him that yearns and longs for someone who’s less than half his age wins out. He knows he should feel guilty, but he doesn’t. “It’ll take more than harsh words to break us apart. Besides, I made a promise to you. I have every intention to keep that promise, my darling boy.”

He hears Eggsy make a choked noise and say, “Harry.”

And Harry, weak and spellbound, allows the younger man to kiss the apple of his cheek. He feels Eggsy’s nose brush against his, and it isn’t until he feels the younger man’s lips press against the corner of his mouth that Harry opens his eyes and finally snaps out of it.

He gasps and jerks his face away from Eggsy’s enticing mouth. “Eggsy —“

But Eggsy is apparently a step ahead of him. Eyes wide, the young blond looks at Harry in horror as he chokes out, “I’m so — Harry, I’m so sorry. I mean, I…”

Harry carefully withdraws his arms from around his body, and they simultaneously take a step away to add more distance between them.

He coughs out the awkwardness he feels, then. “It’s alright, Eggsy. I should be the one apologising for taking advantage —“

“No.”

Shocked, he looks up from staring at his socks to catch Eggsy’s reassuring gaze.

The younger man’s expressions changes to a sheepish one, his face red as he says, “I should be the one apologising. I pretty much crossed a line there.”

 _You didn’t,_ Harry wants to say. _I would’ve let you continue if I was certain you harboured the same feelings for me. I’m the one who’s sorry for being a perverted old man._

What he says is:

“In that case, I guess we both got a little bit carried away.”

Eggsy nods emphatically. “Heat of the moment, perhaps.”

“Yes, indeed,” Harry readily agrees.

“Must be the excess tension from the, uh, fight.”

“Of course.”

There’s a pause.

“Can I… I mean…” Harry finds it absolutely endearing how Eggsy fumbles for words. He remains quiet and patiently waits for the younger man to gather his thoughts. “You didn’t — you know — you didn’t take advantage. I, uh, I liked it. And you’re more than welcome to if — if you want.”

 _Fucking shit,_ Harry screams internally as his pulse quickens. He’s not stupid — he can read between the lines. He’s basically been given permission to kiss Eggsy. He’s torn between taking Eggsy back in his arms and banging his head against the wall. _For fuck’s sake, Hart, get a fucking grip on yourself, you pathetic codger._

Harry clears his throat, and instead of saying “Maybe not, dear boy”, he ends up saying:

“Likewise, my dear boy.”

 _Lee is going to skin me alive,_ he thinks faintly when Eggsy’s face lights up like Christmas.

There’s another pause, but this one lasts longer.

“Are we okay?” Eggsy finally asks, sounding hesitant. He licks his lips and looks at Harry through his lashes.

Harry ignores the heat pooling low in his stomach after seeing his best friend’s tongue dart out to wet his lips. Lips that, mere minutes ago, left sweet kisses on his face; the same lips he briefly felt against his own before he found the inner strength to pull away.

Instead, Harry smiles warmly at Eggsy and simply replies, “We’re okay, Eggsy. We really are.”

Eggsy beams widely at him, and that only serves to remind Harry that he’s truly and unbelievably fucked.

* * * 

“Oh, this is for you,” Eggsy declares as he slaps something to Harry’s outstretched hand after accepting the mug of tea the older tailor hands him.

Brows furrowed in mild curiosity, Harry turns his palm upwards and is surprised to see a silver key.

“What is this for?” he asks as he glances down at Eggsy.

Eggsy, seated comfortably on one end of the couch, takes his time sipping his tea before replying.

“It’s a duplicate key to my dorm, obviously.”

Now Harry is baffled. “Why are you giving me a duplicate key? Eggsy, this isn’t even allowed. You can’t just entrust anyone with this.”

Still standing and rooted to his spot, Harry sees Eggsy roll his eyes before the young blond answers. “It’s just you I’m giving that to, you prat.”

“But why?”

This time, Eggsy sighs loudly, and Harry can’t help the slight upwards twitch of his lips at seeing his best friend act so exasperated.

“‘Cos I hated it when you told me you waited for me for hours —”

“I didn’t really mind —“

“ _In the cold_ , Harry,” Eggsy emphasises with a glare. “So with you having a key to my room, you don’t have to wait outside. You can come in whenever you want to. Just make sure you don’t get caught, yeah?”

It’s Harry’s turn to roll his eyes. “Hence, why I pointed out to you that it’s not allowed.”

Eggsy shrugs and then he smirks. “Well, it’s not like I care much for them rules, innit?”

Harry can’t help the tender smile that blooms across his face. Knowing Eggsy, once his mind is made up about something, it’ll be difficult to convince him otherwise. But Harry more than appreciates the gesture; after all, it’s the thought that counts. So with a nod, he pockets the key, much to Eggsy’s delight as his best friend beams at him.

And because he can — now that he knows he’s allowed to — Harry leans down and brushes his lips against Eggsy’s forehead. When he straightens himself, it’s possible that Eggsy’s smile turns dazzling.

“Thank you, Eggsy,” Harry says, and he finally moves his legs to sit on the plush armchair adjacent to the couch.

“You’re welcome, bruv.”

* * * 

Later that evening, when Eggsy is about to leave, Harry suddenly remembers he also has a gift to give to his best friend.

It’s after Eggsy has put on his Converse shoes that Harry tells him to stay where he is. Perplexed, Eggsy obeys while Harry takes the stairs two at a time to go to his bedroom. Once there, he quickly crosses the room to reach his dresser and retrieves a white envelope from the bottom of his sock drawer. He barely remembers to close it before he quickly leaves his room and walks down the stairs carefully this time.

There, he’s greeted with Eggsy looking at him in amusement. “What’s gotten your knickers in a twist?”

Harry scoffs and then hands him the envelope without another word. After a moment, Eggsy slowly accepts the envelope and Harry patiently waits for him to open the damn thing already. Of course, he ensures to keep his expression devoid of emotion.

Eggsy must’ve caught on to him for the younger man slightly narrows his eyes at him before tearing the envelope open and pulling out its contents.

There’s a shocked gasp followed by a muttered “Oh my fucking God”, and Harry finally allows a smug grin to grace his features. When Eggsy looks up at him, eyes wide and mouth agape, Harry can’t help but utter the following words teasingly.

“Do close your mouth, dear boy, it’s unbecoming of you.”

That snaps Eggsy out of his stupor. His best friend looks down at the four tickets to Take That’s Progress Live concert, and then looks back at Harry who’s still grinning at the younger man.

“Shut the fuck up, you didn’t!”

“Oh, but I did — oof!”

Harry is immediately cut off when Eggsy throws himself in his arms. The tailor wraps his arms around the younger man’s waist in a tight embrace as Eggsy repeatedly mumbles “Thank you” in his ear. Harry just laughs, but it dies in his throat when Eggsy pulls away to plant his lips on Harry’s cheek with a loud smack.

Instead of feeling disgusted, Harry feels flattered.

“Thank you,” Eggsy tells him sincerely, eyes bright and lips stretched into a wide grin.

“You’re welcome,” Harry responds with a grin of his own.

His last thought before he’s tackled into another bone-crushing hug is, _I can get used to this._

And isn’t that a terrifying notion?

###### 

Two days later, Harry’s at the shop when Merlin finally reveals the identity of his girlfriend. And to say that it went well is the understatement of the century when, in actuality, it goes tits up.

“You’re what?!” Alastair explodes at the break room during their lunch break. It takes James and Lee to hold Alastair back from lunging at Merlin, who is subtly hiding behind Harry’s slightly shorter form.

“Al, I can explain —“ Merlin starts, his composure oddly calm but Harry knows him. The way the accountant is carrying himself rigidly and how his left ear twitches alerts Harry that his friend is beyond terrified.

“You better fucking explain to me why you’re dating my baby sister,” Alastair growls out, eyes blazing with fury. “Is that why you’ve been looking like the cat that got the canary? Are you sleeping with my sister? Are you fucking —“

“Alastair, that’s enough!” James snaps in warning, his hazel eyes narrowed. Harry rarely sees the exuberant tailor lose his temper, and it’s times like this when he’s reminded of why it’s the nicest people who have the foulest tempers. “I’m sure there’s a reason why Merlin and Roxy decided to keep it a secret. You lashing out at the man who’s captured your sister’s heart won’t help any of us.”

Ultimately, Alastair calms down and doesn’t give the impression that he’s about to murder their resident accountant. His posture is stiff despite James running a comforting hand down his back. Lee chooses to stand in the middle to referee the situation. As Alastair continues to stare daggers at Merlin, Harry notes with morbid fascination when his friend, pale as a ghost, swallows inaudibly.

It takes a lot to terrify the Scotsman, so to see him reduced to this gives Harry the impression that whatever affection Merlin holds for Roxy is genuine and profound.

“How long?” This time, it’s James who asks the question. Harry looks up and sees the other man stare at Merlin, jaw set.

Merlin, bless him, manages to respond coherently, voice steady. “Almost a year now.”

Bloody fucking hell.

If Alastair looked furious before, then he looks downright murderous now. No, he looks absolutely livid. Harry and Lee share a look, eyes comically wide at the startling news, while James grips Alastair tight around the middle to refrain the man from pouncing on the sweater-clad accountant.

“I can’t believe you, you fucking —“ Alastair fumes but then stops abruptly, including struggling in his husband’s hold.

It’s then Harry realises his eyes are glued over his shoulder. He turns his head and spots Roxy standing on the doorway, and beside her is Eggsy. The two young adults are staring at the spectacle before them with wide eyes, however Roxy’s lips are pressed into a thin line while Eggsy’s gawking at them.

“What the hell is going on?” Eggsy voices out, thus breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Nobody replies to his query. Instead, Roxy takes a step forward to stand beside Merlin, which causes Alastair to clench his jaw and for James to look at his sister-in-law with a soft look in his eyes. Lee takes a step back so he’s not blocking each party’s view, and Harry elects to do the same by joining Eggsy’s side, the younger man silently entering the room and standing beside the coffee machine.

“Roxy?” Eggsy asks tentatively, looking at his other best friend with a worried expression.

Harry sees Roxy spare Eggsy a glance, an apologetic one at that, before she focuses her attention to her brother and brother-in-law.

“I take it Merlin finally told you,” she says quietly, her face set as if she’s going into battle.

Alastair breathes in deeply before exhaling slowly. Harry observes that his anger from earlier has subsided, but it still lingers even as he manages to calm himself. The older Morton now regards the couple in front of him with a disappointed look.

“Why did you keep this from me?” Alastair finally asks, voice tight.

Roxy is silent for a moment, and looks like she’s considering her words.

“I knew you would react like this,” she ends up saying.

Alastair’s brows furrowed, displeased. “That’s not a good enough reason, Roxanne. Now tell me the truth before I tell mother about this.”

Roxy winces. “Actually, she already knows.”

Well, damn.

And with an apologetic glance at everyone in the room, she adds, “Both mum and dad know, and they’ve already given us their blessing.”

“How long?” Harry forces himself to look away when he sees Alastair’s shattered expression.

“From the start,” is what Roxy says. At least she has the grace to look guilty, Harry thinks.

From the corner of his eye, he sees Eggsy shift. Harry tilts his head to meet the younger man’s questioning gaze.

 _Did you know?_ Eggsy asks with his eyes.

Harry shakes his head and then raises an eyebrow. _Not until today. You?_

The younger Unwin also shakes his head before he sighs, slightly leaning on Harry’s side for comfort. Harry sidles closer to him and completely misses the contemplative look Lee shoots them.

“Why didn’t you tell us, Roxy?” asks James quietly, a comforting arm wrapped around his husband’s shoulders. “Why did the both of you wait this long to tell us?”

Before Roxy can speak, it’s Merlin who answers.

“We both agreed to keep our relationship low-key from everyone because we weren’t certain if it would last,” the Scotsman explains, his brogue deep. “Roxy is focused on her studies and I’m focused on my work. Most of the time we’re apart from each other, but we decided to give it a shot because the idea of not testing out the potential of what could be is a bigger disappointment.”

“It was never our intention to keep this from you for a long time,” Roxy adds, this time addressing the room at large. “Life simply got in the way. And while that is not a good excuse, I have to admit that I had my reservations about your reaction. And I – I was scared of what you will say.” She looks at her brother, her hazel eyes brimming with tears.

“Roxy,” Alastair utters. “Why him?”

Harry is certain the tailor doesn’t mean it to be offensive, but he can’t help but feel irked when he sees Merlin’s shoulders slump slightly, eyes downcast as if he, too, has been wondering that for a while now.

“Because he makes me happy,” Roxy answers honestly with a smile, and the gesture causes two fat tears to roll down her cheeks. “Merlin _sees_ me, Al. He sees the real me, and still he chooses to stay. Why not him?”

“And you,” James interjects, eyes locked on Merlin. Beside him, Alastair remains quiet. “Why Roxy?”

“Because Roxy makes me happy,” is Merlin’s heartfelt response. He meets Alastair’s gaze and then adds, “She grounds me and keeps me right, Al. I understand your doubts about us, but please give us a chance. And know that I will fight for her no matter what it takes.”

Merlin slowly takes Roxy’s hand in his, and the latter doesn’t hesitate to entwine their fingers together. They share a look, and it’s then Harry sees it. He sees the pure, unadulterated devotion they have for one another, and there is no doubt in mind that it’s only a matter of time before Merlin proposes to the younger Morton.

He knows that it’s too soon to come to that conclusion, but it will come to that, eventually. And who would’ve thought that his oldest friend would settle down?

Harry is genuinely happy for Merlin and Roxy. His two friends deserve nothing but happiness and good fortune. But there’s a small part in Harry that can’t help but feel a bout of jealousy towards them. It’s not their relationship he’s jealous of – far from it – but it’s what Merlin said earlier than struck a chord in Harry that made him think of his burgeoning feelings for a certain green-eyed young man.

_“… Most of the time we’re apart from each other, but we decided to give it a shot because the idea of not testing out the potential of what could be is a bigger disappointment.”_

Maybe, just maybe, Harry will someday gather enough courage to test the potential he sees between him and Eggsy Unwin. 

—

 **Eggsy**  
Well, today was something else.

 **Harry**  
It truly was. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Merlin that terrified before.

 **Eggsy**  
He was terrified? He looked calm and composed as fuck!

 **Harry**  
I’ve known Merlin for nearly thirty years now. Believe me when I say the poor sod was terrified.

 **Eggsy**  
I still find it hard to believe, though.

 **Harry**  
Roxy and Merlin?

 **Eggsy**  
Nah, I knew Rox had a thing for Merlin back then, but I thought it was just a crush, yeah?

 **Eggsy**  
I find it hard to believe that Al and James are okay with it. Thought they’d complain more about it, actually.

 **Harry**  
Al isn’t completely okay with the whole idea. James is more understanding, of course, but Al is a different matter.

 **Eggsy**  
Why? ‘Cos of the age gap?

 **Harry**  
Goodness, no. That’s the least of his worries. Al’s eleven years younger than James.

 **Eggsy**  
Are you taking the piss?!

 **Harry**  
No, I don’t think so.

 **Eggsy**  
What the fuck? James doesn’t look it!

 **Harry**  
If you ask him, he’ll tell you it’s the laugh lines.

 **Eggsy**  
Hahahaha omg

 **Eggsy**  
Okay, so it’s not the age gap, then.

 **Eggsy**  
Does Al’s problem have to do with it being Merlin?

 **Harry**  
I’m afraid I can’t answer that for you.

 **Harry**  
But nonetheless, I’m happy for them. They suit each other.

 **Eggsy**  
Yeah, they do, don’t they?

 **Eggsy**  
Doesn’t mean I won’t tease Rox for dating a fit bloke like Merlin, though. XD

 **Harry**  
… Okay?

 **Eggsy**  
HAHAHAHA

 **Eggsy**  
Don’t worry, Harry. Merlin’s not my type, anyway. :P

 **Harry**  
And who exactly is your type?

 **Eggsy**  
Well, definitely someone with hair.

 **Harry**  
Very helpful. That does narrow down the list.

 **Eggsy**  
If it makes you feel better, I do think you’re fit as well. 

**Harry**  
Is that so?

 **Eggsy**  
Oh, yes. The handsomest of them all. :P

 **Harry**  
Now you’re the one who’s taking the piss.

 **Eggsy**  
Nah, bruv. Just stating a fact.

 **Harry**  
You’re aware that you’re incorrigible, right?

 **Eggsy**  
Yeah, duh.

 **Eggsy**  
You love me for it, though. ;)

 **Harry**  
No doubt about that. xxx

###### 

A week and a half later, Eggsy and Roxy return to their respective universities to finish the rest of the semester. There’s still a lingering tension in the shop following the reveal of Merlin and Roxy’s romantic relationship, much to the bafflement of the new tailors who remained oblivious of the spectacle that happened that day in the break room. Fortunately, Alastair has almost completely cooled down, only resorting to giving Merlin cold looks every time they pass each other in the halls. And Merlin, bless the Scotsman’s soul, kept his composure during those instances and even went as far as to lock himself in his office, including his lunch breaks.

After Eggsy left for university, Harry stayed in London for three more weeks before making his usual trips abroad. He first went to Denmark where he attended a conference and stayed there for five days. His next stop was a week-long stay in Dubai where he met up with a new client — an American expat who happens to be the project director of a huge construction company and wishes to have suits tailored for his wedding in eight months’ time. Harry made sure to send Eggsy photos of the white sand beach in Jumeirah and a bird’s eye view at the top of Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. It’s a very beautiful and glamorous city that’s diverse in people and culture, and the tailor looks forward to returning there for non-work related purposes.

After Dubai, Harry departs for Taiwan where he convenes with Alastair to meet up with a client over dinner. The supposed two-day stay ended up being five due to food poisoning, in which Harry spent eighty-five percent of his time in the toilet. Just his fucking luck, really.

When he and Alastair have fully recovered, they part ways at the airport. Alastair catches a last-minute flight to Tokyo while Harry leaves for Auckland where he meets up with Lee, who’s been waiting for his arrival for three days already and had to re-schedule their appointment, much to the older tailor’s chagrin.

This time, they meet up with award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson and his team of producers who wants to have their suits tailored for next year’s premiere of _The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey_. After they’ve dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s, Jackson and his screenwriter wife offered to take both Harry and Lee on another adventure in their beautiful country.

And to say that Eggsy was jealous when Harry e-mailed him photos of himself posing in front of Bilbo Baggins’ hobbit-hole in The Shire, a picture with Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis, and a group photo with The Hobbit cast, was the understatement of the century.

 **Eggsy**  
I CANNOT FUCKING BELIEVE YOU MET MY IDOLS

 **Eggsy**  
DID YOU ASK FOR PETER’S AUTOGRAPH?! DID YOU SEE ELIJAH AND MARTIN?!

 **Eggsy**  
DID YOU ASK ANDY TO DO THE GOLLUM VOICE?!

 **Eggsy**  
HARRY, I’M NOT FUCKING AROUND HERE. I’M HYPERVENTILATING IN CLASS, YOU TOSSER :((((

That night, Harry laughs out loud upon reading his best friend’s messages. When he sees Lee look at him in confusion, he lets him read them. Lee gets a devious look on his face as he uses Harry’s phone to send a picture of himself, Harry, Martin Freeman, and Richard Armitage on-set. When Harry receives Eggsy’s rapid texts and he shows it to Lee once more, he’s never seen his friend laugh so hard until tears rolled down his cheeks 

**Eggsy**  
NOOOO :((((

 **Eggsy**  
I HATE YOU RIGHT NOW

 **Eggsy**  
IF I FAIL MY CLASSES, I’M BLAMING YOU BOTH

 **Eggsy**  
ESPECIALLY YOU, HARRY. YOU FUCKING WANKER :((((

Still shaking with laughter, Harry types his own rapid texts.

 **Harry**  
Calm down, my dear boy. Your father and I have asked for autographs from your favourites.

 **Harry**  
But considering that you hate me now, maybe I’ll just sell them on eBay. :-)

 **Eggsy**  
OH MY GOD I TAKE IT BACK

 **Harry**  
Do you now?

 **Eggsy**  
Yes, I do!!!!

 **Eggsy**  
I don’t hate you at all! You’re my best, best friend in the whole fucking universe!

 **Harry**  
Are you sure? You said otherwise earlier, and I have proof.

 **Harry**  
I also have your father as a witness. Ha ha ha.

 **Eggsy**  
Noooo pls don’t sell it on that stupid website :((((

 **Eggsy**  
And you bloody well know I love you, you posh nerd.

Harry almost drops his phone when he reads the last message, and he almost trips when he reads it a second — a third, fourth, fifth — time. Did he really read that right?

_And you bloody well know I love you, you posh nerd._

Before Harry can start hyperventilating, he receives another text from Eggsy. He doesn’t realise he’s been staring open-mouthed at his phone for more than a minute already.

 **Eggsy**  
You’re my best friend. How could I not???

Ah. Of course.

Reality crashes down on Harry once more, and he has to physically shake away the cobwebs in his mind before he can think of what to reply. He’s a fucking fool for thinking, for even considering for a minute, that Eggsy could hold the same amorous feelings that Harry does for the younger man. Shaking his head once more, Harry chastises himself for getting carried away in the moment.

The sooner he accepts the fact that Eggsy only sees him and loves him as a best friend, the sooner Harry can convince himself to not get his hopes up. Yes, he still believes that there is something between him and Eggsy — but the fear of being wrong or of being rejected is a notion Harry can’t bear to stomach. So he has to do the logical thing by burying his feelings and remembering his place in Eggsy’s life.

The mentor, the protector, the best friend. And not a lover, or would-be lover for that matter.

Swallowing the bitterness rising in his throat, Harry finally sends his response.

 **Harry**  
Sorry for the late reply, there was a problem with the signal.

 **Harry**  
And I’m glad to know that, my dear boy.

 **Harry**  
The sentiment is reciprocated, of course.

 _Fuck,_ he groans after reading what he just sent. He really needs to start filtering his thoughts before sending his responses. All he’s doing is digging himself a deeper grave.

Surprised and frustrated at how his evening has just gone down the drain, Harry makes a hasty decision. He grabs his suit jacket and pockets his wallet before he calls out to Lee that he’s going down for a drink. Knowing that it’s not a good idea to get drunk since they have a flight the next afternoon, Harry can’t bring himself to care.

He needs to forget. Let him have him this, even if it’s just for a night.

Harry doesn’t wait for Lee’s response; he just shuts the door of the hotel room behind him and takes a cab to the nearest pub in the vicinity. And if by the end of the night Harry decides to go home with a stranger who strikes a semblance to a certain green-eyed young man, then it’s Harry’s business to wallow in guilt and regret for the rest of the trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise next chapter will be a happier one.


	5. Year 11 (2011); Part Three (Harry)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer of 2011.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this is two months late, but real life has consumed me. Completely. Work has gotten more hectic as we've won a few more clients, and I have a very busy two months ahead, in regards to my personal life. All good, though. So hopefully, this makes up for it. All mistakes made are mine as this is self-beta'd. And yes, I'm a huge Take That fan, but I made a few changes with the Progress Tour concert scene to suit the plot. Obviously.
> 
> So enjoy reading and do let me know what you think!

  
_"Today this could be, the greatest day of our lives_  
_Before it all ends, before we run out of time_  
_Stay close to me_  
_Stay close to me_  
_Watch the world come alive tonight_  
_Stay close to me."_  
\- Greatest Day by Take That

“Are you alright?” Lee asks him in concern.

Harry glances at Lee and then attempts to smile, though it ends up as a wince.

“I’m fine,” he replies, subtly adjusting his position in the plane’s uncomfortable seat. They pay a significant amount and yet these airlines can’t seem to give them cosier seats. “Although, I’m quite regretting going out last night.”

“Well, it was a sight seeing you that hungover this morning, mate,” comments Lee with a raised brow. And because his dear colleague enjoys taking the piss (like father, like son, Harry thinks with grim amusement), the older Unwin nonchalantly adds, “Besides, it ain’t like you to come back to the hotel in last night’s clothes, either.”

Harry doesn’t bother to hide his flinch, and he feels his cheeks redden in shame.

“I assure you, I’m typically not that kind of person,” Harry answers with a little bit of defensiveness in his tone.

“Oh, I know. Which brings me to my next question: what the fuck are you playing at?”

Harry whips head to look at Lee in shock, and instantly regrets it as his head spins at the sudden movement. He briefly closes his eyes, but he doesn’t miss the stony-faced expression of his companion. He waits until he’s certain he’s not going to hurl the contents of his stomach before he opens his eyes and meets Lee’s eyes once more.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lee.”

Before Lee can answer, the pilot alerts the passengers to buckle their seatbelt for they’re about to take off in fifteen minutes. The flight attendants are doing last-minute checks on the compartments and helping the other passengers settle in their seats.

“Sir, please straighten your seat as we’re about to take off,” one Asian flight attendant addresses them, and Lee apologises before adjusting his seat. Satisfied, the flight attendant smiles at them before leaving to accommodate another passenger whose child won’t stop crying.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Harry. It doesn’t suit you,” Lee continues, lips pressed into a thin line.

Harry frowns, not liking where this conversation is going. “I’m not playing dumb, Lee. I have no clue what you’re on about, so please enlighten me.”

They stare at each other in silence for a while, and then Lee breaks his gaze and sighs.

“You really don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?”

“I believe I don’t. So please. Enlighten me.”

“I wasn’t really expecting we’d have this discussion right now, but might as well,” the younger tailor sighs. He brings his blue eyes back to meet Harry’s and then says without preamble, “Look, Harry, you’re a good man and an even better friend. But you gotta get your head out of your arse to see what’s in front of you.”

Harry blinks at him.

“Lee, I’m afraid you’ll have to be upfront with me about what you want to say because I’m too hungover to comprehend your riddles right now.”

Thankful that at least he got the window seat, Harry leans his head against the cool surface while keeping his eyes trained on Lee. His companion huffs in mild annoyance and scratches the back of his neck. It’s a tic that Harry also sees in Eggsy, and one that informs him that Lee is feeling a tad uncomfortable with the current situation.

Good, he’s not the only one.

“Okay, look. For starters, Eggsy told me and Michelle about those Take That tickets you bought him,” Lee finally voices out.

Harry feels himself freeze on the spot. Fortunately, Lee doesn’t notice for he carries on.

“Aside from that, I also know about that fight you two had a few months ago.” _Oh, shit buggering fuck,_ Harry thinks as his stomach churns in discomfort. “There’re a lot of things that Eggsy hides from Michelle and I, but his friendship with you ain’t one of them. He doesn’t give us the full details — I’m not stupid, I was once a kid myself — but what he does offer to share is enough for us to read between the lines. And if I remember correctly, Eggsy called you his ‘first and best, best friend’ when he was fifteen, and that still holds true to this day. Can you still follow me on this?”

Harry hesitates before he replies; mind still reeling from what he’s just heard. “Yes.”

Lee nods and then continues.

“Okay, good. So you’re aware that Eggsy thinks very highly of you, yeah?” Harry nods his head once. “Do you also remember what I told you before about how I think my son looks at you as if the sun rises out of your arse every goddamn morning?” Wincing, Harry nods again. “And also that time when you were in a coma and Eggsy stayed by your side every night and day until you woke up?”

Harry feels a pang in his chest upon hearing that. He’s heard stories from Merlin and the others on how Eggsy stayed resolutely and stubbornly by his side. He swallows the lump that suddenly grew in his throat and then nods.

“What exactly are you trying to tell me?” he asks quietly, his voice slightly hoarse. “Eggsy is also my best friend. You know I’d never do or say anything to intentionally hurt him. And you know I’d do anything for him. He’s the most important person in my life.”

In that moment, Lee’s hardened expression clears. And the look he gives Harry next is one of a parent who’s both overprotective of their child, yet is still understanding towards someone who —

Oh.

Oh, _fuck_.

Lee must see the comprehension finally dawn on his face for the older Unwin slowly nods his head. He takes a deep breath and slowly exhales, his next words uttered in a calm and measured manner.

“You and I both know that Eggsy wears his heart on his sleeve. It’s something he’s unable to control, even when he was still a kid. And while I can’t protect my son’s heart, I can still protect him in my own way. Michelle and I had this discussion hundreds of times, and I’ll be honest with you, mate. We’re not completely on board with — with whatever that’s going on between the two of you. And I know,” Lee raises a hand to stop Harry, who opens his mouth to say that they’ve got it all wrong. That it’s not what they think it is. “As a parent, I want what’s best for him. But given the circumstances, it also got us thinking: how can we resent the one person who makes our son unbelievably happy?”

 _What?_ Harry dumbly thinks to himself. Is he dreaming right now? Did he hit his head against the bathroom counter after his shower and wake up in a different timeline? 

Apparently, he doesn’t voice any of that out loud because Lee just goes on.

“Harry, I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret later on. And I most definitely don’t want my son getting hurt over your actions, no matter how good your intentions are. That said, I also don’t want to see you get hurt, and you’re a grown-arse adult with two functioning eyes. So use ‘em for God’s sake.”

Completely baffled and mortified at this point, the only words that Harry is able to utter are:

“Are you — I mean, do you… am I dreaming? Did I hear you correctly?”

Lee smiles crookedly, though it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Yeah, you did. But it’s not to say that I’m giving you full permission to act out on your feelings right now — oh, don’t look at me like that, you’re not exactly subtle — but you have mine and Michelle’s blessing to, well, to keep doing whatever the hell it is you’re doing.”

Harry is finding it extremely difficult to speak right now, but he forces himself to say, “How can you be okay about this? I expected you to be mad, or even tell me to stop being friends with Eggsy. Why are you even telling me all this?”

Lee sighs deeply, and he looks as if he’s expected Harry to say those things. Which is really weird but not entirely implausible. Lee’s known for his strategic thinking, always three steps ahead of everyone. That’s what makes him an incredible entrepreneur, hence why he’s the one who often takes these extensive trips abroad to meet with existing and new clients.

“Honestly, mate? It’s because Michelle and I both trust you. You’ve looked after our son since he was ten, and I know you’ll continue to do so for the long haul, no matter how much he reminds you he’s not a kid anymore. And the thing is, I know you won’t take advantage or lead him on. The age gap is… well, yeah; it’ll take us more time to accept that. But,” Lee shrugs, and his smile becomes more genuine. “It doesn’t bother Eggsy, so why should it bother us? Besides, James and Al have quite the gap between them and Michelle’s parents have a nineteen-year gap. We’re not gonna start having double standards now just because we know there’s an attraction growing between you and Eggsy. We know he’s old enough to make his own decisions, but you’re the one who knows better. So we trust you to make the right call. At the right time.”

There’s silence, and it stretches for a long time until the moment Lee raises an inquisitive eyebrow at Harry, who remains staring stupidly at the other man, eyes wide as saucers.

At long last, Harry manages to croak out, “Thank you.”

Lee just nods.

“This is a lot to take in, and I’m probably going to ask you for confirmation when I’m sober, but… thank you.”

“Sure thing, mate. And oh, one more thing,” Lee pauses, and Harry returns his stunned gaze to him, only to see his friend looking at him the same way he did when he gave Harry that Very Serious Talk in the break room years ago. “Make one false move that will hurt my son, then I’ll make sure this is the first and only chance you’ll have with him. Continue to do right by him, and then consider yourself good in our books. _Comprende, mi amigo_?”

And just like that time in the break room, Harry automatically replies, “ _Sí_.”

“Awesome,” Lee’s expression clears and then claps Harry on the shoulder before reclining his seat. “Well, that was a good talk, Harry. Better get some shut-eye because you look like death warmed over. We have that client meeting to attend the moment we land in San Francisco.”

Harry nods but doesn’t reply, mind still reeling from the information he’s been given. More specifically, the permission he’s just been granted. He’s still groggy and hungover from the night before, but there’s a lightness Harry feels in his chest that he hasn’t felt in a while. As he sets the blanket over his lap and reclines his seat, he finally puts a name to that feeling:

Assurance.

He closes his eyes with a smile, and as he breathes out slowly, his mind drifts to Eggsy and he thinks that just last night he was ready to bury his feelings. But after his conversation with Lee (okay, it was mostly him listening while Lee did all the talking), Harry mulls over the fact that he may have a chance with his best friend after all.

He’s forty-five years old and he was just given the shovel talk by the father of his twenty-year-old best friend. That sounds ridiculously bizarre in Harry’s mind but it really happened. He still has a splitting headache and his stomach churns every now and then, but it’s a small price to pay for the elation and satisfaction he feels in that moment. Yes, Harry has to be patient and wait before he can make his intentions loud and clear to Eggsy, and to do that he has to play his cards right.

For the moment, he’s perfectly content with where they are now. Besides, time is finally on his side.

###### 

Summer finally rolls around, and Harry is more than thrilled to see Eggsy again. The day he and Roxy arrive home from their respective universities was the same day of Daisy’s third birthday party. It was a very simple get-together at the Unwin household, and the invited guests were the Kingsman tailors, the Mortons, and several of Daisy’s friends from the daycare. The usually timid toddler was all smiles and giggles as Michelle dressed her in a peach dress with matching shoes and a silver tiara that James and Alastair gifted for the celebrant.

The backyard was decked with colourful streamers and balloons, and there was even a small piñata in the shape of a donkey hanging from the lowest branch of a tree. There was plenty of food and non-alcoholic drinks (much to the adults’ disappointment), upbeat music was blasting from the speakers (some hit Katy Perry song that Daisy apparently loves), and at the corner was a table filled to the brim with gifts for the youngest Unwin.

Naturally, pictures and videos were taken, and there was one instance when Daisy — in the midst of having her picture taken after blowing the candles from her two-tier birthday cake - took a dollop of chocolate cake in her small hands and smacked it onto Eggsy’s grinning face, who was beside her and helped her blow the candles. And like brother like sister, Daisy’s devious look melted into shrieks of laughter as everyone present soon followed after as they laughed at the gobsmacked expression on the younger man’s face.

“I can’t believe she did that,” Eggsy tells Harry later. The young blond is still busy wiping the cake from his face and hair while Harry – like every typical best friend – just watches the younger man with a smirk on his face.

“That was quite smart of her to do.”

“Harry.”

“Okay, okay. But let me just remind you that you _are_ her brother, after all.”

“And that means…”

“She’s learning from the best,” Harry quips, and his smirk transforms into a shit-eating grin when Eggsy laughs and shakes his head.

By the end of the night, everyone was full and happy, and Harry thinks it was a great way to start the season.

* * *

**Eggsy**  
You ever get that feeling when everything feels right in the world and there’s nothing to bring your mood down or something?

 **Harry**  
Every now and then, yes. Especially when I win clients.

 **Harry**  
Why do you ask?

 **Eggsy**  
Nothing.

 **Eggsy**  
Just that I get this feeling this summer’s gonna be the best one yet.

 **Harry**  
:-)

* * *

Four days later, Harry accompanies Eggsy and Daisy at the park, where the youngest Unwin proceeds to run towards the playground like Speedy Gonzales, chanting _“Ariba, ariba!”_ along the way. Meanwhile, he and Eggsy decide to sit on the bench where they can have a good view of Daisy who’s eagerly going down the slide.

“So, are you ready for next week?” Eggsy asks him with a grin.

Harry glances at the younger man, eyebrows raised in confusion. “Next week?”

“Yeah. For the concert?” Eggsy looks at him with a raised brow of his own.

Harry blinks. “I wasn’t even aware I was going.”

“What do you mean? You gave me four tickets!”

Keeping one eye trained on Daisy, Harry briefly looks at Eggsy before he says, “I did. But I assumed you wanted to bring Jamal, Ryan, and Roxy with you.”

Eggsy snorts and bumps his shoulder against Harry’s.

“Jamal and Ryan don’t like that type of music, bruv. They’re more of an Eminem and Kendrick Lamar type, yeah? I asked Rox at the party and she said yes. Told her the other ticket can go to Merlin as well, considering they’re together and all.”

“And you want me to have the last ticket?” Harry asks slowly. He casts Eggsy a doubtful gaze.

His best friend just rolls his eyes. “Well, duh. I thought that was already a given, best friend’s privilege and all. Plus you like their music, too.”

Touched, Harry smiles warmly at Eggsy and bumps his shoulder against the younger man’s.

“Thank you, Eggsy. It would be an honour.” And then he adds, “I only like their music because you’ve forced me to listen to them countless times for the past five years now.”

Eggsy laughs out loud, and Harry thinks he’s never heard a sweeter sound than that.

“Excuse me, but who was the one who had ‘Greatest Day’ on repeat for two months just ‘cos he thinks it’s a _‘serene yet powerful anthem’_?”

Harry narrows his eyes at Eggsy’s cheeky grin.

Well, two can play that game.

“Fine. I do like their music, and they’re a talented group. But may I remind you, my dear boy, who is it between us has posters of Gary Barlow stashed in the back of his closet?”

This time, it’s Eggsy who narrows his eyes at Harry’s smug grin.

“Touché,” the younger man remarks with a smirk. Then his expression clears to one of excitement again. “So it’s final now, yeah? You’re going?”

“Yes, yes, I’m going,” Harry rolls his eyes but he can’t help the fond smile that graces his lips. And then he wholeheartedly adds, “Thank you, Eggsy. I’m honestly touched by the gesture.”

Eggsy waves him off. “No need to thank me, bruv. You bought them for me in the first place. I should thank you.”

“And you did so quite buoyantly.”

“Cheeky.”

With Lee’s words still at the forefront of his mind, Harry is mindful of his actions towards his best friend. So instead of taking Eggsy’s hand like the way he wants to, he raises a hand and squeezes his shoulder instead. With his focus back on Daisy who’s now trying to push herself in the swing, he completely misses the adoring look that Eggsy gives him. However, he’s surprised when he feels Eggsy’s warmth leave his side as the younger man stands up.

“I’m gonna go play with Daisy at the swing, yeah?” Eggsy tells him with a crooked smile.

Harry smiles back in understanding. “Of course. I’ll just sit here and let you spend time with your sister.”

Eggsy nods and he turns around to walk towards Daisy. He’s only walked a few paces when he abruptly stops, turns around, and strides back to Harry who looks up at him in mild surprise. The surprise soon turns into a look of amazement when Eggsy places a hand on the side of his neck and presses a tender kiss on the apple of Harry’s cheek.

When Eggsy pulls back, he just grins and simply says, “You’re the best.”

And then he turns around and walks to his sister who’s still struggling at the swing. Harry looks at Eggsy’s retreating figure; aware that he’s wearing the stupidest smile on his face but can’t bring himself to care at that moment.

###### 

One week later, Harry finds himself driving to Wembley Stadium at three o’clock in the morning. He only occasionally drives these days since he’s traveling often for work, so it’s a bit of a relief to take his sleek black Audi A5 for a drive, even if it’s at an ungodly hour.

Eggsy is sleeping on the passenger seat while Roxy and Merlin are dozing off at the back, hands intertwined with Roxy’s head resting on Merlin’s shoulder, his friend’s cheek on top of the young woman’s head. He looks at his friends through the rearview mirror with a fond smile before focusing on the road ahead. Thankfully, there isn’t any traffic at this time as he drives along A40.

In all respects, it’s a bit crazy how completely devoted fans are in general. When Eggsy sought out Harry in Merlin’s office, he informed the two of them that they’d have to be in the venue before dawn so they can get good spots plus a good view of the stage despite them being in the standing area, Harry almost backed out upon hearing that. One look at Merlin and the tailor guessed his friend was also thinking the same thing. But in the end, with the thought of letting Eggsy down and the mere idea of hurting his dear boy is just unacceptable to him. Also, Lee’s warning still lingers at the back of Harry’s mind, and he really doesn’t want to mess up his only chance. So it’s with an understanding smile that Harry tells Eggsy he can drive them to the stadium as long as they meet up at his house at the designated time. Naturally, Eggsy was ecstatic and didn’t think twice to kiss Harry on the cheek in thanks before bolting from the room to relay the news to Roxy.

The smug, knowing look Merlin shoots Harry that day only made the tailor blush and flee the room whilst mumbling excuses about getting back to work.

Back in the present, Harry finally reaches the car park of Wembley Stadium. He swiftly manoeuvres his Audi and decides to park the car near the exit. It’s a bit of a walk towards the entrance of the stadium, but at least when the concert is over they won’t face that much difficulty in leaving. True to Eggsy’s word, there are already hundreds of people queuing at the entrance. From his position, Harry can see sleeping bags and foldable chairs, and Harry thanks the gods above that Roxy recommended they also bring foldable chairs with them since they’ll be queuing all day.

Setting the car on park and turning the ignition off, Harry wakes his companions up, telling them that they’ve reached their destination. He ignores Roxy and Merlin yawning and stretching at the back to witness for the first time what Eggsy looks like when he wakes up.

He’s a sight to behold — blond hair tousled, skin smooth and soft looking in the wee hours of the morning, and bright green eyes slowly becoming more alert as he looks at his surroundings before it locks on Harry.

“And Sleeping Beauty finally wakes,” Harry quips with an amused grin. “We’re here.”

Eggsy’s lips stretch into a dimpled smile as he replies, voice hoarse with sleep, “Great driving, Prince Charming. Barely felt a bump in the road.”

Harry hears Merlin snort, and he rolls his eyes but he doesn’t reply.

All of them get out of the car and retrieve the necessary supplies from the boot of Harry’s car. Merlin volunteers to carry the foldable chairs, Roxy volunteers to keep their fully-charged mobile phones inside her Kipling sling bag, and Harry carries two large plastic bags filled with water bottles and food. As for Eggsy, the younger man claims that he’s carrying the most important item — the concert tickets.

“I have the Holy Grail with me so I don’t get to carry anything, ha,” Eggsy remarks with a cheeky grin.

Roxy huffs at him. “Whatever you say, Galahad.”

“Okay, Guinevere.”

As the quartet start to make their way towards the entrance, Roxy scrunches her nose up in distaste before she says, “No, I think I’m gonna go with Lancelot.”

Merlin raises an eyebrow at his girlfriend. “Because your brother calls James that sometimes?”

“No, I just think he’s a badass knight,” Roxy grins at him, a mischievous glint in her eye. “And since your name’s Merlin, you get to be Merlin the magician.”

“I do have a lot of tricks up my sleeve, lass,” Merlin answers with a roguish wink, which causes Roxy to blush and bite her lip to refrain from laughing.

Harry groans and beside him, Eggsy makes gagging noises at the two lovebirds.

“It’s too early for this,” the tailor grumbles under his breath.

“Nobody needs to know what freaky things you both get up to in the bedroom,” Eggsy complains. Then he nudges Harry’s elbow and says, “I guess that makes you King Arthur, Harry.”

Harry hums in agreement. “I suppose so. After all, it’s a childhood fantasy of mine to be royalty and lead a group of righteous men – and woman, since Roxy is Lancelot – into battle.”

“While brandishing your long and powerful sword, eh?” Eggsy winks at him. Before Harry can react, Roxy and Merlin burst out laughing, and Harry notes with part glee and part satisfaction how his best friend’s face turns red as he hastily adds, “I meant Excalibur, you fucking perverts!”

Ignoring the fact that his heart stuttered in his chest upon hearing Eggsy’s somewhat innocent remark, the double meaning of that statement doesn’t fail to make Harry blush.

When they near the entrance, they were directed by two security guards to queue at the back. With a word of thanks, they continue walking, and Harry is thankful that he followed Eggsy’s advice to dress in more comfortable clothes. Given that it’s a concert, he’ll be among thousands of other people, so Harry forego wearing something stifling (like a suit). Instead, he chose to wear a pair of black denim jeans, a russet-coloured V-neck cashmere sweater, and an old but very comfortable pair of black leather boots.

The others are dressed similarly as well. Merlin is wearing a slate-gray shirt that shows his pale arms (Harry needs to remind his friend to go out more), black jeans, and black leather boots; Eggsy is dressed in his favourite Tommy Hilfiger shirt, a pair of slim fit jeans that accentuates his arse ( _yes, he looked, so what?_ ), his worn and dirty Converse shoes plus a grey knitted beanie; and Roxy is wearing a black tank top underneath an unbuttoned red flannel shirt, blue denim shorts that ends mid-thigh, and black Adidas running shoes.

Several minutes later, they finally reach the end of the queue where Merlin immediately sets up their foldable chairs in a square. Roxy sits beside Merlin, which leaves Harry and Eggsy to sit beside each other as the older tailor sets their supplies in the middle. Due to the early hour of the day, there’s a quiet hush in the crowd as others opt to sleep, eat, or talk in hushed tones with their companions. Harry is surprised to see men and women of all ages (the youngest he saw must be in their early teens), and he has the inkling that today is going to be a memorable one.

“And now we wait,” he hears Eggsy speak beside him with a yawn.

Harry revises his earlier thought: it’s going to be a very long and very exhausting day, but it’s going to be a memorable one.

* * *

The rest of the day passes by slowly, with more people turning up after dawn to queue. They silently eat the bagels that Harry bought at the bakery the previous day and drink the now lukewarm bottles of water (how Harry wishes he brought a thermos of tea with him).

Around mid-morning, Eggsy and Roxy start conversing with a group of girls who looked to be in their late teens or early twenties. Harry and Merlin exchange looks, aware that their younger companions will be occupied for the next hour or two before they, too, start talking about the state of Kingsman’s financial status (pretty good) and the progress of their clients’ orders (also pretty good).

By midday, the chattering increases as people start to get hyped up over the arrival of the band members and the concert itself. After Eggsy and Roxy finish talking to the group of girls, they return to Harry and Merlin where they proceeded to play a game of “I Spy” to pass the time. Not long after that, Eggsy asks Roxy for his phone to start documenting the whole experience of what he considers “the best concert tour of the century”. He takes several photos of the gathering crowd, snaps several candid shots of Roxy and Merlin smiling at each other, and successfully convinces Harry to take pictures with him. To be honest, Harry didn’t put up much of a fight, eager to pose beside his best friend with a dimpled smile as Eggsy casually slings an arm around Harry’s neck, their cheeks pressed together as he takes photo after photo.

For the next few hours, the quartet finds themselves eating a late lunch and talking to the other people queuing. Before they know it, there’s excited chatter from the front of the line and they hear several women scream and shout. It doesn’t take long until they hear the announcement of the doors opening in less than one hour. After they’ve packed up the foldable chairs and threw away the empty containers of their food, Harry and Merlin decide to make a quick trip back to the car to deposit the chairs while Eggsy and Roxy wait for them.

When they returned to their queue, Harry can feel the anticipation and adrenaline of the crowd. He’s never been one to attend concerts, the last one he went to was Queen and that was in the ’80’s, but the sensation he’s feeling in that moment is familiar and one he’s surprised to admit that he’s missed. Harry glances at Eggsy and can’t help the fond grin that spreads on his face upon seeing his best friend and Roxy talking animatedly to each other about the band’s set list and what the stage production will be like.

* * *

“I can’t believe we managed to get a front view of B-stage!” Eggsy exclaims with a wide grin. “I almost forgot how fast you run, Rox! That was fucking awesome!”

Beside him, Roxy grins and says, “I’m not in the track and field for nothing, Eggs.”

“Few more minutes left before it starts!” Eggsy adds as he bounces in his spot.

Since the gates of the stadium have been opened almost three hours ago and both Eggsy and Roxy ran as fast as they could towards the front of B-stage, the quartet have remained standing along with the thousands of people in the standing area of Wembley Stadium. Every now and then, Harry would relent and sit on the ground as his feet are killing him for being upright for a long period of time. Unbeknownst to him, he never noticed Eggsy take stolen shots of him cross-legged on the concrete floor while fanning his face with his monogrammed handkerchief.

At the moment, with the stadium already filled with people, it was only a matter of time before the concert will commence. The loud chattering of the crowd around him is making Harry feel confined and irritated, but he wills himself to think that it’ll all be worth it. Roxy and Eggsy are leaning on the barricade, casually making conversation with some of the security staff, and Merlin is positioned behind Roxy’s small frame, his arms wrapped loosely around the young woman’s waist.

Harry, who’s standing behind Eggsy, asks, “What do you think they’ll sing first?”

“Well, in their Circus tour two years ago, they sang Greatest Day first,” Roxy answers instead, a grin etched on her face. “It could still be that but I read on Twitter that they changed it a bit.”

Harry feels Eggsy’s elbow nudge his ribs gently and he glances down at his best friend who’s looking at him mischievously.

“You gonna sing along, Harry?” the young blond asks cheekily. “I don’t expect you to, but it’d be nice, yeah?”

Harry steps on Merlin’s foot when he hears his friend snort to hide his laughter.

“Certainly not,” the older tailor retorts with a smirk.

Eggsy pouts. “You’re no fun.”

“No.” This time, Harry rolls his eyes. “I am definitely not going to sing along. I came to hear them perform, not try to be a sixth member.”

“Wanna wager on that?” There’s a challenging glint in Eggsy’s eye that Harry doesn’t miss.

He raises an eyebrow, his interest piqued. “And what are your terms?”

Eggsy narrows his eyes in thought. Then his expression clears to one of mischief and Harry has the distinct feeling that he’s not going to enjoy what he’s going to hear.

“If you win, I get to do inventory at the shop for a month,” Eggsy starts, and Harry snorts upon hearing that. He knows how Eggsy hates doing inventory. “But if I win, you get to watch the extended edition of the _Lord of the Rings_ trilogy with me. And I ain’t gonna be hearing any complaints from you, bruv.”

Binge-watch a trilogy for almost twelve hours, and in close proximity with his best friend? There are worse things that Harry could end up doing, and this is not one of them. He would gladly - and willingly, he adds - watch those films with Eggsy so long as Harry gets to be with him.

He makes certain that he deliberately pauses to consider the terms before nodding his head in agreement.

“Alright, the bet is on.”

“Yes, Harry!”

They shake hands on it, much to the amusement of Roxy and Merlin - the latter smirking at the two while Roxy is regarding them with a knowing look, which Harry chooses to disregard. Before another word can be uttered between the four of them, there was a loud booming sound that resonates across the whole stadium, and the electronic voice of a woman suddenly speaks up.

“10… 9... 8…”

“Oh my fucking God!” Eggsy then cries in glee, along with Roxy and thousands of fans that start screaming bloody murder.

“Hold my fucking hand,” Roxy screams at Eggsy, and the two friends clasps each other’s hands in a very tight grip. “If I faint, fucking resuscitate me!”

It takes every ounce of Harry’s self-control to not jump a foot in the air at the shrieks of the people around him. He notes with amusement when he sees Merlin visibly flinch when the stout woman beside him starts to frantically wave her banner that reads **“KEEP ME UP ALL NIGHT, HOWARD”**.

“7… 6… 5…”

“Roxy, I’m gonna fucking lose it!”

“Eggsy, I’m gonna die when I see Mark, oh my God.”

“Gary fucking Barlow, bruv!”

“Jason!”

“And Robbie!” They shriek in unison, and Harry is starting to feel bad for his eardrums.

“4… 3…”

Out of the blue, someone bumps into Harry and the older tailor finds himself flushed against Eggsy’s back, his hands automatically settling on the young man’s hips to keep from toppling over him. But before Harry can extract his hands, Eggsy grips one of his hands with his free hand. He cranes his neck up at Harry and manically grins at him. Feeling the mix of adrenaline, excitement, and euphoria that’s resonating in the entire stadium, and not to mention the deep swell of affection that blooms in his chest, Harry can’t help but plant a kiss on Eggsy’s brow and grin widely in return.

“2… 1!”

From the moment the four members — Jason Orange, Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald — appear on stage, everything became a wonderful blur as the opening notes of “Rule The World” began.

And suffice to say, Harry gladly lost the bet by the time they started to sing “Greatest Day”.

* * *

**Eggsy**  
I know I’ve said it before, and dozens of times too, but thank you so fucking much, Harry.

 **Harry**  
You’re always welcome, my dear boy. Thank you also for inviting me. I had an incredible time with you.

 **Harry**  
And with Roxy and Merlin as well.

 **Eggsy**  
Ditto. :)

 **Eggsy**  
I’ll see you this weekend for the movie marathon, yeah?

 **Harry**  
Yes, of course. As much as it pains me to sit in front of the telly for twelve hours, the company makes up for it.

 **Eggsy**  
Hahaha. You’ll have a great time. I promise. ;)

 **Eggsy**  
Right, I’m completely knackered. ‘Night, Harry! Sleep well. Love yooouuu!!! Xxx

Fifteen minutes later:

 **Harry**  
Good night, Eggsy. Sweet dreams. I love you, too. xxxx


	6. Year 12 (2012); Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Happy New Year, Eggsy,” he heard Harry utter beside him.
> 
> Eggsy had turned his head and was a little breathless at how close he and Harry were standing next to each other. He opened his mouth to reply but was distracted by Harry licking his lips; he couldn’t help how his eyes had tracked that movement, also aware that Harry could see what he was doing.
> 
> “Happy New Year, Harry,” he eventually uttered back, voice gone a little raspy.
> 
> Eggsy remembered looking up to meet Harry’s eyes, how the tailor’s warm brown orbs bore into him for a long moment. They exchange smiles, one a little drunkenly and one bashfully, and if someone had asked Eggsy on who made the first move, he wouldn’t be able to give them a proper answer. Because between one breath and the next, Eggsy’s eyes had slipped shut of its own accord, his head tilted slightly as a soft press of lips met his own. That moment stretched on like forever, when it fact it only lasted three seconds — but to Eggsy, that simple kiss left him breathless and just a tiny bit dizzy.
> 
> When he’d opened his eyes and saw Harry looking at him with an unreadable look he’d never seen before on the older man’s face, he knew the moment had ended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *waves awkwardly* Hello. So, this is a year late. I'm incredibly sorry. But I'm back and hopefully I get to finish this sooner than later. It's been a long while since I wrote a fic, and it's only recently that I've started writing again. Or continued, whatever.
> 
> I hope this was worth the wait. I had loads of fun writing it.
> 
> Enjoy!

_“When I buy a new book, I read the last page first. That way, in case I die before I finish, I know how it ends. That, my friend, is a dark side.”_

\- Harry Burns; When Harry Met Sally (1989)

**Roxy**  
So are we going to ignore the huge, pink elephant in the room?

 **Eggsy**  
Huh?

 **Eggsy**  
Don’t know what you’re talking about, R.

 **Roxy**  
You. Harry. New Year’s.

 **Roxy**  
Ring a bell to you?

 **Eggsy**  
Oh.

 **Eggsy**  
What’s there to tell? It was just a harmless kiss.

 **Roxy**  
Harmless, my arse. You were making googly eyes at each other! 

 **Eggsy**  
No, we weren’t! Well, at least not in his case.

 **Roxy**  
I’m surprised you even remembered you were in a room full of people, including your parents.

 **Roxy**  
And btw, they looked pretty fucking amused by the whole thing. As did everyone else. I heard James tell Alastair that it looked like he was watching a rom-com holiday film.

 **Eggsy**  
Jesus, Rox

 **Eggsy**  
Harry and I were standing close to each other when we rang in the New Year

 **Eggsy**  
It was just a peck on the lips. It’s not like we was French kissing.

 **Roxy**  
Still

 **Roxy**  
You two looked pathetically adorable

 **Roxy**  
Plus, a kiss is still a kiss ;)

 **Eggsy**  
I hate you

 **Roxy**  
No, you don’t

 **Eggsy**  
Harry doesn’t feel that way about me, just so you know

 **Roxy**  
God, you’re such a thick-headed dick, E

 **Eggsy**  
Eh, you’re not wrong there if you know what I mean ;)

 **Roxy**  
I’m serious.

 **Roxy**  
Besides, if Harry didn’t feel an ounce of attraction towards you, then why does he look at you like you hung the moon and stars?

 **Eggsy**  
…

 **Eggsy**  
Harry doesn’t look at me that way.

 **Eggsy**  
I would know.

 **Roxy**  
He only ever looks at you like that when you’re not looking at him, dummy. And on top of that, you’re the only one he’s ever affectionate with. He even had the balls to kiss you in front of your parents! That’s got to mean something, right?

 **Roxy**  
Eggsy, trust me when I say this. I think there’s a huge possibility that Harry reciprocates your feelings.

 **Eggsy**  
Let’s say that he does. What’s stopping him right now from making a move?

 **Roxy**  
… I don’t know.

 **Eggsy**  
Exactly. My situation with Harry is completely different from yours and Merlin’s, luv.

 **Eggsy**  
I’ve known Harry since I was 10. He’s been my best friend for seven years; do you really think I’d be willing to risk that friendship in the hopes that he might feel the same way I do about him?

 **Roxy**  
But you’ll never know if you try, Eggsy!

 **Eggsy**  
Ugh, why are we even talking about this?!

 **Roxy**  
What are you so afraid of?

 **Roxy**  
Eggsy, come on.

 **Roxy**  
I’m sorry. I just want you to have the same happiness with Harry that I have with Merlin.

 **Eggsy**  
Luv, I am happy with Harry. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.

 **Roxy**  
But it’s not enough.

 **Eggsy**  
I love him so much, Rox. So much. I can’t ask Harry for more, I’m not that selfish. I just can’t take that risk — not when the consequence is losing him.

 **Roxy**  
But what if you don’t? What if there’s a sliver of a chance that he feels the same way?

###### 

The next time Eggsy sees Harry is on Valentine’s Day.

The 20-year-old has just closed the door of his dorm room, ready to crash into his bed after a particularly rough day when he sees Harry sitting on the edge of his bed.

“Harry,” Eggsy says in surprise.

He ignores the heat pooling low on his belly when the tailor stands up to greet him, his long coat parting to reveal the outfit underneath. This time, Eggsy can’t ignore the flutter in his stomach and how his jaw tightens when he sees Harry in one of his smart casual garb: maroon cashmere sweater with a white-collared shirt underneath, tailored dark jeans and polished oxfords.

“Hello, Eggsy,” Harry greets warmly, dimpled smile in place as he approaches Eggsy.

And Eggsy doesn’t hesitate to close the gap between them, depositing his shoulder bag on the floor as he lets himself be enveloped into a tight hug. It’s been nearly a month and a half since he’s last seen Harry, so being able to bask in his best friend’s familiar scent and touch made him realise just how much he’s physically missed him.

They hug for a while longer before Harry untangles his arms from around Eggsy’s shoulders. The latter takes a step back, but not before he stands on his tip toes and plants a soft kiss on Harry’s cheek. The smile he receives is blinding and if his breath hitches involuntarily, Eggsy hides it well.

“Not that I’m not glad to see you, bruv. But why the surprise visit?” Eggsy asks as he carefully removes his new overcoat (a Christmas gift from James and Alastair) to hang it on the coat rack next to the door.

Harry’s smile turns impish as he replies, “I know it’s been an exhausting week for you, so I thought I’d pop by for a quick visit. Could be a good break to your dull routine.”

Eggsy grins. “You got me at good break. What’s the plan, then?”

“How about dinner at our favourite diner and a trip to the bookstore? I could use some new books to read, and I’m sure you do, too.”

“Oh, Harry! You sure know a way to a man’s heart!” Eggsy says as he bats his eyes playfully and places a hand over his heart.

Harry laughs and then gently shoves Eggsy towards the direction of the small bathroom.

“Piss off, my boy,” the tailor says without malice, his warm brown eyes twinkling with amusement as Eggsy chuckles. “Go and pee, I know you always hold it in during three-hour lectures.”

“You know, sometimes it’s scary how you even know my bladder so well. Do you keep track on me or somethin’?”

“No comment. Now in you go.”

With a quick but tender kiss to Eggsy’s temple, Harry gives him one final shove before Eggsy goes inside the loo and closes the door. He doesn’t bother locking it, not really seeing the point of doing so, as he unzips his jeans and pees. There’s a tingle on his left temple from where Harry’s lips were a few moments ago, and Eggsy can’t help but remember the conversation he had with Roxy a week prior.

He’s not stupid. It’s all probably just in Eggsy’s head. Yeah, Harry’s grown a bit more affectionate since they properly made up from their previous fight (which, coincidentally, happened exactly a year ago to this day), but that could mean anything! Friends who fight and then make up tend to grow a tad closer, that much is given. Though, Eggsy can’t help but think back to what happened at New Year’s Eve.

Could it have meant something to Harry as well?

But then again, Roxy was probably just exaggerating.

Fine, so maybe Eggsy intentionally stuck close by Harry when the clock slowly approached midnight. Maybe Eggsy did drink a bit more eggnog to give him that liquid courage to ask Harry if he can kiss him to ring in the New Year. So what? In the end, he didn’t get to ask Harry because he was busy laughing at a story his best friend was telling him. It was from one of Harry’s trips that month, and they were both engrossed in their conversation that they had startled when their friends and family started cheering. It was then that Eggsy heard the fireworks coming from the telly and outside Merlin’s home that they’ve said goodbye to 2011 and welcomed 2012 in high spirits.

“Happy New Year, Eggsy,” he heard Harry utter beside him.

Eggsy had turned his head and was a little breathless at how close he and Harry were standing next to each other. He opened his mouth to reply but was distracted by Harry licking his lips; he couldn’t help how his eyes had tracked that movement, also aware that Harry could see what he was doing.

“Happy New Year, Harry,” he eventually uttered back, voice gone a little raspy.

Eggsy remembered looking up to meet Harry’s eyes, how the tailor’s warm brown orbs bore into him for a long moment. They exchanged smiles then, one a little drunkenly and one bashfully, and if someone had asked Eggsy who made the first move, he wouldn’t be able to give them a proper answer. Because between one breath and the next, Eggsy’s eyes had slipped shut of its own accord, his head tilted slightly as a soft press of lips met his own. That moment stretched on like forever, when in fact it only lasted three seconds — but to Eggsy, that simple kiss left him breathless and just a tiny bit dizzy.

When he’d opened his eyes and saw Harry looking at him with an unreadable look he’d never seen before on the older man’s face, he knew the moment had ended.

But damn it all to hell, it was the best fucking kiss Eggsy had ever had. Sometimes, his mind just ends up going back to that memory, and every time he ends up with a raging hard-on. It’s just not fair.

He zips up his jeans and flushes the toilet, then goes to the sink to wash his hands. Eggsy looks at his reflection and winces when he notices that his pupils have dilated and there’s a dark flush on his cheeks.

He’s absolutely pathetic. He’s really too far gone on Harry if the mere memory of a sweet, innocent kiss can reduce him to this state.

Fuck.

 _But what if you don’t? What if there’s a sliver of a chance that he feels the same way?_ He recalls Roxy’s final text, to which he didn’t bother to reply.

 _Then I’ll be the happiest man alive to be able to have everything I’ve ever wanted,_ he selfishly admits.

###### 

“How about an iPad?”

“No, Eggsy.”

“Clothes?”

“She’ll quickly grow out of it. How about something more practical?”

“I don’t know! How about another dollhouse?”

“I said practical.”

“You’re not helping here, Harry.”

There’s a huff on the other end of the line, in which Eggsy grins in response.

“You’re the one who asked for help for Daisy’s gift, dear boy,” Harry answers dryly. “I’m vetoing your ideas. I consider that helping.”

“Ugh. Alright, _fine_.”

Eggsy drops face first onto his bed, groaning as he runs out of ideas on what to get for his baby sister’s upcoming birthday. Daisy’s turning four in a month and a half, and Eggsy still hasn’t bought her gift. He’s been rattling gift ideas to Harry for nearly half an hour now but to no avail. Either he really has bad taste or his best friend is taking the piss, which he won’t be surprised with if that were the case.

It seems that Harry finally takes pity on him since the tailor says, “How about you search online? You’ll most likely get inspiration from there. Or you could always ask for help from your parents or Roxy.”

“Hmm, maybe. I guess I’ll try that,” Eggsy replies glumly. He turns over so he’s lying on his back when he adds, “Thanks, Harry.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help,” Harry says ruefully, and damn it if Eggsy’s heart clenches at how sincere the man sounds then.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replies reassuringly. To be honest, talking about what to get Daisy was just a ploy for Eggsy to hear Harry’s voice again. He hasn’t seen the man since spring break, and currently his best friend is halfway across the world meeting with new clients. “I’ll find something eventually. Maybe I’ll even ask Rox. But it’s great to hear your voice again, Harry.”

“Likewise, Eggsy,” Harry says tenderly, and Eggsy closes his eyes. If he concentrates a little harder, he can feel the warmth of Harry’s voice seep into his skin and completely engulf him. Like one of Harry’s tight hugs. Like home. “Tell me everything I’ve missed.”

And just like that, the moment is over. Eggsy opens his eyes to see the dirty white ceiling of his dorm room; the image he’s conjured in his mind slowly dissipates until he’s left feeling bare and hollow. Swallowing through the lump in his throat, he clears his throat and catches Harry up on everything he hasn’t told the older man since they last spoke.

For the next half hour, they talk about Eggsy’s school work, Harry’s never-ending trips to literally all corners of the globe, the upcoming summer Olympics, and everything else in between. Eggsy opens up to Harry about his fears after he graduates next year, how fucking terrified he is of what he’s going to do next after he receives his degree. It’s one thing to take up two majors and learn everything he can in theory, and it’s another to apply what he learned on the field. He even admits that he’s not even sure what sort of career he’ll end up with.

In return, Harry lets Eggsy in on the secret of Merlin’s intention of proposing to Roxy after she graduates. Of course, Eggsy then swears to Harry to never tell another soul lest he wants to experience Merlin’s wrath. Hearing the news of the possibility of his other best friend getting engaged reminds Eggsy of the lack of romance in his life, then finds himself wistfully fantasising of confessing his feelings to Harry.

He pictures Harry’s shocked but hopeful expression as he admits his feelings to the older man, which then shifts to a look of hunger as Harry doesn’t hesitate to slam Eggsy’s body against the nearest wall and proceeds to snog him. He thinks of different scenarios where he and Harry carry on as usual. Except for the fact that they are holding hands while going for a stroll, cuddling on the sofa as they binge-watch another show on the telly, Harry cooking them dinner while Eggsy sets the table and they exchange kisses along the way; and finally, Eggsy constantly telling Harry he loves him because of the simple fact that _he can_ , and Harry saying the same words back to him with the same warm, affectionate look that seems to be only reserved for Eggsy and Eggsy alone.

Eggsy shivers at the last image in his head, and then berates himself for getting carried away again. Thankfully, he’s only zoned out for a few seconds as he hears Harry on the other end still prattling off about Merlin’s quest for finding the perfect engagement ring.

“You can ask dad,” Eggsy quips after Harry’s finished talking. “He has a cousin or nephew who works as a jeweler. Maybe if you tell Merlin to talk to dad then he’d be able to find the perfect ring for Rox.”

“I’ll take note of that,” Harry responds. “Thank you, Eggsy. I think Merlin owes you a favour now.”

Eggsy sniggers at the thought of Merlin owing him. “Nah, bruv. As long as he keeps treating Rox like a fuckin’ queen, then we’re good.”

Harry chuckles. “I don’t see a problem in regards to that. They look blissfully happy, as far as I’m aware.”

“Yeah, I’ve never seen Roxy this happy before, either. I’m really happy for them, they deserve each other.”

“Very true.”

There’s silence from both ends for a short while. Eggsy bites his lower lip, anticipation simmering low on his belly at what to say next. They’ve just breached a topic that neither is willing to talk about further, and Eggsy wonders what Harry is thinking at the moment. In the end, he doesn’t have to wait long.

“I’m afraid I have to go now, my dear boy,” Harry says apologetically this time. “I’m meeting my client in an hour so I have to get ready.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” Eggsy says understandingly, but he can’t help but be sad about hanging up. It barely feels like an hour has passed since Harry answered his call on the second ring. “I have to finish my project anyway and start revising for my finals.”

“I’ll call you later,” Harry promises, and Eggsy can’t help but smile goofily at that. “I’ll text you first so you can let me know if you’re available to talk or not.”

“Yeah, alright,” Eggsy says, grinning. God, he’s so fucking _pathetic_. “Take care of yourself. I’ll talk to you soon, then.”

“Thank you, Eggsy. I will and you take care of yourself, too. I’ll see you in a few weeks’ time.”

Maybe it’s all in Eggsy’s head but fuck, Harry’s voice sounded so sweet and tender in that moment. A deep swell of emotion erupts in Eggsy’s chest and before he knows it, Eggsy is blurting out words he’s only ever said to Harry via texts.

“Lookin’ forward to that. I love you, Harry.”

But by God if that ain’t the most natural thing to say. He barely has time to think of what he’s just spoken out loud when Harry doesn’t even miss a beat to reply.

“I love you, too, Eggsy. Stay safe.”

And just like that, Harry ends the call and Eggsy’s left listening to the dial tone for a second before he shuts his phone, mind still reeling and heart pounding like a drum in his chest.

So that happened.

Eggsy has just blurted out to Harry that he loves him, and Harry responds by parroting the words back to him. Despite the fact that it’s already a given that they love each other, and it’s only recently that they’ve started to say it through texting, Eggsy’s never had another person who isn’t family tell him out loud that they love him. Of course, Roxy is out of the question since she’s like a sister to him, and the other tailors are more like surrogate uncles. So to hear Harry fucking Hart – his best friend and the love of his life – tell him that he loves Eggsy too, well… that just does _things_ to him, alright?

A man can dream, and Eggsy is all about dreaming. Even though he knows he’s going to crash and burn in the end.

###### 

**Eggsy**  
Roxy

 **Eggsy**  
I just told Harry that I love him over the phone.

 **Eggsy**  
And he said he loves me back.

 **Eggsy**  
I think I can die happy now. I mean, a man can dream, yeah?

 **Eggsy**  
But fuck, R. What am I gonna do?

 **Roxy**  
Holy shit, that’s great news!

 **Roxy**  
You have a chance, E.

 **Eggsy**  
You really think so?

 **Roxy**  
Yes, I do.

 **Eggsy**  
I don’t know what to do.

 **Roxy**  
Continue as you are. Don’t rush it. Take your time and let everything happen naturally.

 **Eggsy**  
Was it like this with Merlin?

 **Roxy**  
What do you mean?

 **Eggsy**  
Idk. I just feel like me and Harry are kinda on the same page? Like, no matter what I say or do won’t faze him or something. I get that we’re best friends and all, but somehow this is different. There are days when I just think… you know.

 **Eggsy**  
That there _is_ something. A possibility. And it scares the fuck outta me, Rox, it does.

 **Eggsy**  
But maybe you’re right. Maybe I should take a risk.

 **Roxy**  
Thank fucking Christ that you’ve seen the light.

 **Eggsy**  
You didn’t answer my question. -.-

 **Roxy**  
Yes, Eggsy. It was. And it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.

 **Roxy**  
Trust your instincts. That’s what I did, and it hasn’t led me astray.

 **Eggsy**  
But I’m terrified, Rox. What if I lose him?

 **Roxy**  
Eggsy, listen to me. If there’s one thing I’m absolutely certain of in this world aside from me wanting to spend the rest of my life with Merlin, it’s that Harry would rather lose an eye than lose you.

 **Eggsy**  
Ugh, that’s just rank, bruv.

 **Roxy**  
I’m just saying.

 **Eggsy**  
I love him.

 **Roxy**  
I know you do. But when you love, you’re already taking a risk. You’ve made it this far, Eggs, so you also have to be sure. Is Harry worth it?

 **Eggsy**  
He’s worth everything and more.

 **Roxy**  
Then you know what to do.

###### 

**Harry**  
Merlin, I need your help.

 **Merlin**  
What is it? Did the client postpone?

 **Harry**  
No.

 **Merlin**  
Then what is it?

 **Harry**  
Eggsy just told me that he loves me.

 **Harry**  
Over the phone. We were talking earlier.

 **Merlin**  
Then I presume you told him you love him back?

 **Harry**  
Yes, obviously.

 **Merlin**  
Alright. Then what do you need my help with?

 **Harry**  
I… don’t know.

 **Harry**  
I don’t know what to do.

 **Merlin**  
Fucking hell, Harry.

 **Merlin**  
Just come clean and confess your feelings to the boy. Tell him how much you want to shag his brains out into next Sunday. There, problem solved.

 **Harry**  
Problem solved? Are you fucking having me on?

 **Merlin**  
No.

 **Harry**  
Jesus, you are the WORST.

 **Merlin**  
Then why did you come to me for help then, smart arse?

 **Harry**  
No fucking clue.

 **Merlin**  
Good luck, then. :)

 **Harry**  
Fuck you. :)

###### 

Summer eventually rolls around.

This time, they had a smaller gathering for Daisy’s birthday, and Eggsy finally managed to decide on what to give his baby sister. With his dad’s help, Eggsy bought a small playground for the four-year-old and had it set up in their backyard. To say that Daisy was delighted was an understatement. She had shrieked in happiness and proceeded to tackle Eggsy into a hug and wet, sloppy kisses. Despite the drool running dry on his cheek, the young blond is grinning in triumph.

Of course, that’s when Harry decides to drop an incredibly tempting offer on his lap that he knew Eggsy won’t be able to resist.

“A three-week trip to Asia?” He exclaims enthusiastically at his best friend. “Harry, are you serious?”

Harry grins, looking smug. “Yes, I am, dear boy. Plus, I only have to meet my client in Singapore for a day. After that, I’m free for the next few weeks. Consider this my birthday gift to you.”

Naturally, Eggsy couldn’t contain his excitement so he bounds over to his parents who are conversing with James and Alastair.

“Mum! Dad!” Eggsy says as he reaches his father’s side, unaware of Harry chuckling as the tailor trails behind him.

Lee stops mid-talk to look at Eggsy and Harry walking towards them. He smirks at the thrilled look on his son’s face as he asks nonchalantly, “Yes, son?”

“Harry’s asked me to go on a trip with him to Asia! He said it’s my birthday gift. We’ll be gone for three weeks, and he only has to meet that one client in Singapore. So, can I go?” Eggsy speaks rapidly, barely taking a moment to breathe. “Please?” He adds with a huge grin that sends Michelle into a fit of laughter.

“Lee, stop it,” Michelle chides her husband as Lee pretends to consider it.

“You’re no fun,” Lee pouts at his wife before reverting his attention to his son. “‘Course you can go, Egg. Harry’s asked me already and I made him promise me that he’ll look after you.”

He’s barely finished his sentence when Eggsy lets out a loud whoop before tackling Lee into a hug, the latter laughing as he hugs his exuberant son back.

“Thank you!” Eggsy says repeatedly before he turns and launches himself in Michelle’s smaller frame, heedless of the discussion going on behind his back.

James and Alastair were chuckling at the display, and James comments, “I’ve never seen Eggsy this excited since you got him that PlayStation, Lee.”

Lee smirks and shoots Harry a meaningful glance as he quips back, “I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the last time.”

Eggsy has just let go of his mum when he turns back to Harry.

“When are we leaving?” He asks eagerly.

He sees Harry fight back a grin when the older man replies. “Two weeks from now.”

Eggsy grins back and states, “Fuckin’ aces, Harry!”

“Language!” Michelle and Lee utter in unison, staring admonishingly at their son.

Eggsy lets out a low “oops” before he steps into Harry’s personal space and briefly hugs him.

“Best surprise ever,” he says, softly this time in Harry’s ear. “Thank you, Harry.”

Harry shakes his head and brings a hand up to squeeze his shoulder after he lets go. “Don’t mention it, Eggsy.”

Emboldened, Eggsy flashes him a wink and stands on his tip toes to sweetly kiss Harry on the cheek. He elects to turn a deaf ear on the coughs behind him, doesn’t take notice of the fact that his fucking _parents_ just witnessed him kiss Harry again, and he certainly ignores Roxy’s knowing grin from the corner of his eye as the young woman clings to Merlin’s arm, who’s also wearing a similar grin as his girlfriend’s. He does, however, take notice of how Harry’s cheeks turn pink at the public display of affection, notices how Harry’s brown eyes quickly gaze down to Eggsy’s lips and back up again.

Eggsy counts that as a win, if he says so himself. He doesn’t utter another word and instead, he bounds over to his baby sister to play with her in the swing set.

###### 

“Fuck, I’m exhausted,” Eggsy groans as he falls face first on the single bed of the hotel he and Harry are staying at.

Three weeks have passed since Daisy’s birthday party, and they are on their first week of vacation in Singapore. Harry had met up with the client on their first day, leaving Eggsy to sleep off his jet lag at the hotel. After the meeting, they decided to do a bit of sight-seeing and have an early dinner before calling it a night. From there, it was a swirl of outdoor activities. They decided to visit Universal Studios the following day, and from there Eggsy was ticking things off on the bucket list he wrote on his phone when planning for the trip, much to Harry’s amusement. After Universal Studios, they went to Marina Bay which, by the way, had a fuck load of people. Eggsy’s never seen a place absolutely crowded before, and he could see why from the quantity of mobile phones and cameras that they brought with them as they took shot after shot of the beautiful building.

After Marina Bay was Gardens of the Bay, the colourful futuristic park located in the bay area of Singapore. Eggsy marveled over the impressive skywalk over the gardens, going so far as to ask Harry to take creative shots of him to send to his family and friends in London. Naturally, Harry indulged him, including taking touristy pictures wherever they went, much to Eggsy’s delight as his camera is soon filled with pictures of Harry and him. And it was only the first week of their Asia trip.

On their fifth and final night, Eggsy and Harry had decided to visit Chinatown during the day and end it with a Night Safari. It’s a little past midnight when they reached the hotel after having a late dinner at a restaurant in Clarke Quay. Harry wasn’t keen to try the street food, citing that James once received food poisoning from one of his trips in the city. Eggsy isn’t willing to risk it either, so he gives the street food a pass.

“I’ll take the bathroom first if that’s okay,” Harry says as he unbuttons the first top three buttons of his dress shirt. Of fucking course Harry would wear a bloody dress shirt, the posh nerd that he is, Eggsy thinks adoringly.

He turns his head to the side to observe Harry untying his trainers (lo and behold, the man owns a pair!) toeing them off along with his socks. He’s a sight to behold, and Eggsy fights back a whimper when he sees a trickle of sweat trail down from Harry’s throat and disappear into his shirt.

 _Oh, fuck,_ he thinks as he feels his cock swell and harden. And here he thought he was too exhausted to get a boner. He fucking hates biology sometimes.

“Yeah, go ahead,” Eggsy replies faintly. “Save me some hot water though, yeah?”

His throat runs dry when Harry looks over his shoulder with a smile, the locks of his once carefully coiffed hair falling over his bespectacled eyes as he takes out a change of clothes and his toiletry bag from his luggage.

“I’ll keep that in mind but no promises,” Harry remarks teasingly as he straightens himself and makes his way towards the en-suite.

“Wanker,” Eggsy calls out weakly but the door is already closed and he doubts Harry heard him.

Less than five minutes later he hears the shower running and Eggsy, slightly dozing but aware enough to keep an ear out for Harry’s return, decides to palm his half-hard cock through his dark-washed jeans.

He bites his lower lip and buries his face on the pillow to hide his moan as the image of Harry — naked and wet under the shower — sends a spike of arousal through him. He can feel his cock hardening as he continues to fantasise Harry running his hands through his hair and body, washing away the sweat and grime of the day. Eggsy’s mind wanders to Harry touching his cock — is it flaccid or is it half-hard? — and the idea of his best friend touching himself a few feet away with a door serving as their only barrier serves to set Eggsy’s nerves on edge. He shifts his hips as he squeezes himself through the layers of clothing, and Eggsy hisses when he twists his wrist just so and feels precum leaking from the head of his cock and staining his pants.

He’s so hard, it’s unbelievable how easily he gets hard with the mere thought of Harry. It’s pathetic really, and he should feel disgusted with himself for using the image of Harry as his wank material; but he has accepted long ago that it’s either Harry or no one. Oh, he’s watched tons of porn online, and he’s looked at naked photos of celebrities but it’s not the same.

It’s never the same. They’re not Harry.

 _His_ Harry, his subconscious supplies possessively.

A low groan emits from the back of his throat and Eggsy forces himself to remain quiet as he continues to rub himself through his jeans. He wants to come, he _needs_ to come. He’s so weak; oh, Eggsy’s so fucking weak. Yes, it’s only the fifth day of their trip, but Eggsy’s wanked for seven times now — this one will be the eight. He hadn’t anticipated how Harry’s proximity will do to him physically. For some unfathomable reason, them being in a different continent together only brought them closer.

Harry’s hand on his elbow as he guides Eggsy along the busy streets of Chinatown, Harry’s hand on the small of his back as they enter Little Saigon – the Vietnamese restaurant, Harry’s arm a comfortable weight around his shoulders as Eggsy takes a picture of them in front of the Merlion statue at Merlion Park. And finally, Harry laughing out loud at something Eggsy had said and then kissing the side of his face in comfort after the young blond realises he’s just embarrassed himself to the vendor.

It’s that last image that sends Eggsy over the edge. His hips jerk and his hand stills when he comes, face burrowed on his pillow as he bites it to refrain from groaning out loud. It takes him several moments to get his bearings straight before it registers that the shower has stopped running and he could hear Harry getting dressed. Not willing to risk Harry seeing the wet patch on the front of his jeans, Eggsy gets up from his bed and starts rummaging for a clean pair of boxers and shirt along with his toiletry bag. He’s just zipped his luggage close when the door opens and Harry steps out of the bathroom.

Oh, sweet mother of God, it wasn’t even locked. Harry left the bathroom door unlocked. If Eggsy hadn’t just come a minute ago, he’d surely be hard again. Having said that, he’s had a pretty good wanking session and he feel his eyes drooping this time.

“All yours,” Harry tells him with a dimpled smile. He’s dressed in blue pinstripe pjyamas, hair still damp but slicked back as if he just ran a hand through his hair.

Eggsy gulps inaudibly at the double meaning of his words, but elects to ignore it in favour of shuffling towards the bathroom.

“Ta, Harry,” he answers cheekily with a wink instead. He curses himself at how hoarse his voice sounds, as if he’s just been fucked raw. Which isn’t the case, sadly. He shuts the door and turns towards the sink, oblivious of the turmoil his best friend is in on the other side of the door.

###### 

**Harry**  
Tell me this was a bad idea.

 **Merlin**  
What?

 **Harry**  
Tell me it was a bad idea asking Eggsy to travel with me.

 **Merlin**  
Why? Did something happen?

 **Merlin**  
Is Eggsy okay?

 **Harry**  
He’s fine. He’s currently taking a shower.

 **Merlin**  
Then what seems to be the problem, then?

 **Harry**  
There is a wet patch on the middle of his bed and the room smells muskier.

 **Merlin**  
Fucking hell, Harry.

 **Merlin**  
It’s obvious the lad wants you. For fuck’s fake, just do something about it!

 **Harry**  
I can’t.

 **Merlin**  
Why the fuck not?

 **Harry**  
You know why. Lee and I have an agreement, and I intend to keep my word. I have to wait until after Eggsy’s graduated to make my intentions known.

 **Merlin**  
I know.

 **Harry**  
I’m so in love with him, Merlin.

 **Harry**  
I only have one chance. I can’t fuck it up.

 **Merlin**  
I’m sorry, Harry.

 **Harry**  
It’s alright. I apologise for always dumping this on you.

 **Merlin**  
Don’t worry about it. It’s just the unresolved sexual tension between you two that’s infuriating.

 **Merlin**  
Besides, it’s highly amusing watching you two speak to each other like friends but act otherwise.

 **Harry**  
What do you mean?

 **Merlin**  
I’m talking about how you two pine over each other like a pair of fucking teenagers. It’s pathetically adorable, according to Roxy.

 **Harry**  
I’m not even sure he feels the same way I do, Merlin. He could’ve just been aiming for release for the sake of it.

 **Merlin**  
You’re impossible.

 **Merlin**  
You’re so fucking thick, I can’t even.

 **Harry**  
What now?

 **Harry**  
Hello? Merlin?

 **Harry**  
Oh, fuck you, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so it was my first time writing something a little smutty. I mean, Eggsy didn't even go far as to unzip his pants. I guess that's baby steps for me haha.
> 
> Please do let me know what you think! :)


	7. Year 12 (2012); Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But nothing. It’s just a bed, it’s big enough for the two of us. Just don’t kick me, yeah?” He adds the last one with a playful smirk, genuine this time.
> 
> Harry huffs out a laugh, stiff posture loosening when he’s sure Eggsy isn’t going to run away. “As if.”
> 
> Eggsy just grins.
> 
> “It’ll be fine, bruv. Honestly.”
> 
> “Are you sure?” Harry asks, still skeptical about their new and sudden sleeping arrangement.
> 
> Eggsy doesn’t notice how stiff he’d gotten until he forces his body to relax. He breathes out loud through his nose before he decides to close the distance between them. Harry remains motionless as Eggsy lifts his arm and gently runs a hand through Harry’s hair — loose and curly, a far cry from his usually coiffed style — the tips of his fingers lightly massaging the older man’s scalp and nape. It’s a move he’s never done before, yet it proves to be a comforting gesture that has the tailor melting and relaxing almost instantly. Eggsy’s smile softens as he stares at the warm brown eyes, Harry’s lips curling at the corners into a tentative but soft smile.
> 
> “I’m sure,” Eggsy says softly, unswervingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your kudos, comments, and bookmarks! They certainly brightened me up after a stressful week.
> 
> And yeah, in case you didn't notice, the rating has gone up. Yes, ladies and gents, _I went there_. *waves awkwardly*
> 
> Now, on to the show! Enjoy!

_“Had my dream again where I'm making love, and the Olympic judges are watching. I'd nailed the compulsories, so this is it, the finals. I got a 9.8 from the Canadians, a perfect 10 from the Americans, and my mother, disguised as an East German judge, gave me a 5.6. Must have been the dismount.”_  
— Harry Burns; When Harry Met Sally (1989)

* * *

The rest of the trip passes by steadily.

After Singapore, they went to Vietnam next and stayed there for three days. They spent their first day in Hoi An — an old, beautiful city that’s rich in historic architecture and traditional culture — before taking a connecting flight that evening to Ho Chi Minh City, previously known as Saigon during the Vietnam War. Eggsy immediately fell in love with the place, and he didn’t hesitate to whip out his digital camera to take pictures of the streets and people they passed by from the taxi going to their hotel. Since they didn’t have enough time to properly tour around and bask in the culture of the city, Harry had elected to take Eggsy to the places he’d already visited.

They spent their second day visiting Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, the War Remnants Museum, and Ben Thanh Market. Eggsy splurged and bought souvenirs for his family and friends back home, and he chuckled when Harry opted to buy a vast selection of bamboo dragonflies to add to his growing collection. On their last day, they started their day a little earlier by going to the Jade Emperor Pagoda. Eggsy cooed at the turtles swimming in the pond at the temple’s courtyard as they continued their sight-seeing.

There was a time during their tour there when Eggsy let Harry handle the camera, the tailor taking pictures of the turtles and the architecture. So it was to Eggsy’s surprise when they were on the bus later that morning and he was going through the pictures they took that he stumbled upon a shot of him.

It was a portrait shot of Eggsy looking up at the altar, a look of wonderment etched on his face. The photo was made more intriguing at the incense-smoke that surrounded his figure in the background with a blurred figure of a monk walking past them. It was such a simple picture but Eggsy was hooked. It was like one of those professional pictures that people from National Geographic would take. However, it also didn’t escape the young blond’s amusement that his best friend was pretty much an amateur at photography.

That night, they had an early dinner at a lovely café in Dong Khoi Street before they went back to the hotel to check-out and take a taxi to the airport to get on their next flight to Indonesia. From there, it was the most hectic four days of Eggsy’s life, having to jump from one island to the next. He marveled at how at ease Harry was, and then remembered that his best friend is incredibly well-traveled and had gotten used to the motions of traveling. After Indonesia, they went to Malaysia next where they stayed for five days. Eggsy was feeling a little under the weather so Harry decided they should just stay in the hotel and order room service while they rested.

Halfway through their stay touring around Kuala Lumpur, Harry got a text from Alastair, who asked if they would be willing to meet with him in Bangkok instead of going to Brunei for their last leg of the trip. Harry had asked Eggsy if it was okay with him and Eggsy was quick to agree. He hasn’t really spent that much time with Alastair recently and the young blond was eager to bond with him again.

###### 

“Oh, dear,” Harry states in shock when he and Eggsy enter their hotel room in Bangkok a few days later.

“What’s up?” Eggsy asks, bringing up the rear as he closes the door behind him. He cranes his neck over Harry’s shoulder to get a better view of the room and balks at what he sees.

There’s one double bed in the middle of the room – not the two single beds they specifically requested from Alastair to book.

“There must be a mistake,” Harry says as he deposits his luggage in the corner next to the closet, Eggsy doing the same a beat later. “Let me go down to the concierge and ask if they can transfer us.”

“Yeah, sure,” Eggsy replies weakly, not really paying attention to what his best friend was saying as Harry leaves the room, shutting the door behind him with a soft click. He stares for a moment longer at the bed before he snaps out of it. “ _Shit_.”

He grabs his phone from his back pocket and quickly dials Roxy’s number. He only has to wait until the fifth ring before his friend finally picks up.

“Hey, Eggsy!” Roxy greets. “What’s up? How’s Brunei?”

Eggsy ignores her question.

“Rox, they booked us the wrong room. We got one fucking double bed here, bruv.”

There’s a brief silence before Roxy speaks.

“What?” She asks, sounding confused.

Eggsy lets out a noise of frustration.

“Alastair texted Harry a few days ago, asking if we was interested to go to Thailand instead of Brunei. I didn’t mind so Harry said yes, and it was Alastair who booked us the room in the same hotel he’s staying at. Now I’m in our room and your brother booked us a fucking double bed!”

Again, there’s a brief silence at the end of the line before Roxy finally reacts. The sound of her laughter fills up the small room, and Eggsy winces at how loud it was.

_Really?_

“Really?” Eggsy exclaims indignantly once Roxy’s laughter subsides. He’s having a dilemma and his other best friend is laughing? “This ain’t a joke, Rox! I’m serious!”

Roxy’s still chuckling when she utters, “I know, I know. I’m sorry, Eggsy. I’m sure it was only a mistake.”

“It must be,” Eggsy mutters resolutely, and he ignores Roxy’s snort of laughter. “Fuck off, mate.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Roxy says again, obviously still holding back her laughter. “What are you gonna do? I take it Harry went down to sort it out if you’re calling me.”

Eggsy nods then remembers she can’t see him.

“Yeah, he went down to have our room changed. But what if it doesn’t? Rox, what do I do?”

Finally, Roxy sobers and answers in a serious tone. “It’ll be okay, Eggsy. Just act normal and don’t freak out. This is Harry we’re talking about. He’s a complete gentleman.”

“I’m not worried about Harry, I’m worried about me!” Eggsy hisses as he walks back and forth the small space. He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. “I’ve been wanking so much these past few weeks, Rox, it’s fucking _insane_.”

He hears his friend choke in surprise but ignores it again.

“ _Eggsy!_ ”

“I swear! The man is literally sex on legs, and it’s not helping me in any way! Imagine me sleeping beside him.”

“I’d rather not –”

“I’m gonna have a fucking boner all night! Help me, Rox.”

He can imagine Roxy frantically shaking her head as she pronounces, “Nope, you’re on your own. You’ve crossed a line, Eggs. I _did not_ want to hear about that. _Jesus_.”

Eggsy is about to speak when he hears the doorknob turn. Panicking, he interrupts Roxy’s tirade with a quick goodbye and then hangs up at the same time the door opens and Harry comes in, expression crossing between disappointed and anxious.

“What happened?” Eggsy asks, feigning nonchalance as he pockets his phone.

He observes Harry and sees the older tailor actually fidget for a brief moment.

“Apparently, it’s peak season right now so everything’s booked,” Harry discloses slowly, as if waiting for Eggsy to react negatively. When he doesn’t, the tailor continues with a bit more ease. “This is the only available room they have aside from the Presidential suite.”

Eggsy does his best to keep his expression blank, but deep down he’s panicking. His palms are starting to sweat, his heart pounding against his ribcage as it takes him a few tries to successfully swallow down the lump growing in his throat.

“Well, looks like we’ll be sharing a bed, then,” he says lightly, jokingly even. He attempts to smirk but it falls flat on his face.

 _Good going, Unwin,_ he reprimands himself, wincing internally.

“I’m sorry, Eggsy.”

Eggsy looks up from studying the carpet to gape at Harry who now looks deeply troubled about the whole thing.

“What are you sorry for?” Eggsy asks, momentarily confused. “S’not your fault we got this room.”

“Yes, but if we hadn’t accepted Alastair’s invitation then this wouldn’t have happened.”

Eggsy ignores the pang in his chest upon hearing that. Is Harry that uncomfortable to share a bed with him? Eggsy’s reasons for being tentative about it boils down to the fact that he doesn’t trust himself to not take advantage of his best friend, even if it’s unconscious. So instead, he pushes away the hurt and puts on a reassuring grin to placate Harry. His best friend is probably worried of overstepping a line, and Eggsy has to do something to erase those doubts and fears from Harry’s mind.

“It’s okay, Harry. I really don’t mind.”

“But —“ Harry starts but Eggsy easily cuts him off.

“But nothing. It’s just a bed, it’s big enough for the two of us. Just don’t kick me, yeah?” He adds the last one with a playful smirk, genuine this time.

Harry huffs out a laugh, stiff posture loosening when he’s sure Eggsy isn’t going to run away. “As if.”

Eggsy just grins.

“It’ll be fine, bruv. Honestly.”

“Are you sure?” Harry asks, still skeptical about their new and sudden sleeping arrangement.

Eggsy doesn’t notice how stiff he’d gotten until he forces his body to relax. He breathes out loud through his nose before he decides to close the distance between them. Harry remains motionless as Eggsy lifts his arm and gently runs a hand through Harry’s hair — loose and curly, a far cry from his usually coiffed style — the tips of his fingers lightly massaging the older man’s scalp and nape. It’s a move he’s never done before, yet it proves to be a comforting gesture that has the tailor melting and relaxing almost instantly. Eggsy’s smile softens as he stares at the warm brown eyes, Harry’s lips curling at the corners into a tentative but soft smile.

“I’m sure,” Eggsy says softly, unswervingly.

Heart still pounding but encouraged at Harry’s response to his touches, Eggsy throws caution to the wind and stands on his tip toes to press a kiss on the corner of Harry’s mouth, fingers grazing at the small hairs on the nape of the taller man’s neck.

He hears Harry’s short intake of breath when he lets go. He slowly extricates his arm from Harry’s shoulder, but Harry raises a hand last-minute and caresses Eggsy’s forearm before ducking down to drop a kiss on the inside of his wrist.

The cogs in Eggsy’s mind comes to an abrupt halt, and he’s unable to contain the small gasp that escapes past his lips at the gesture, Harry’s thumb caressing the area of skin that he kissed. He belatedly notices his once flaccid member starting to swell in his jeans, and it’s through the sheer force of will that Eggsy doesn’t make a hasty retreat to the en-suite.

“Okay, then,” Harry speaks quietly, and Eggsy is entranced at the sudden gruffness in the tailor’s voice.

He licks his lips, sees an unreadable expression pass over Harry’s face as his eyes flicker from Eggsy’s lips to his eyes.

“Okay,” Eggsy replies just as quietly.

He knows he’s playing with fire, but for the moment he can’t bring himself to give a single fuck about it. Consequences be damned.

###### 

**Roxy**  
How’s the trip going?

 **Eggsy**  
Really well.

 **Roxy**  
Sarcasm?

 **Eggsy**  
No, it’s true. Alastair’s been touring us around Bangkok. We’re leaving for Railay tomorrow. Gonna stay there overnight and then back here for the last day before we go home.

 **Eggsy**  
How’s your summer going? How’s Merlin?

 **Roxy**  
That sounds amazing! Enjoy and don’t forget to take pics of the beaches!

 **Eggsy**  
Yup, will do! ;)

 **Roxy**  
It’s been pretty chill. I visited my parents for a week then came back to the city. Been spending most of my time with Merlin. :)

 **Eggsy**  
Aces. Tell him I said ‘hello’, yeah?

 **Roxy**  
Of course!

 **Eggsy**  
Harry and Al says hello, too. XD

 **Roxy**  
Hello as well!  <3

 **Roxy**  
Wait

 **Eggsy**  
What?

 **Roxy**  
How’s your bedmate?

 **Roxy**  
*wink wink nudge nudge*

 **Eggsy**  
Fuck off

 **Roxy**  
I want details, E.

 **Eggsy**  
:-/

 **Roxy**  
Did something happen?

 **Eggsy**  
Yeah

 **Roxy**  
Shit. What?

 **Eggsy**  
That first night after I called you?

 **Roxy**  
Yeah?

 **Eggsy**  
Well, I couldn’t sleep for hours but eventually I did. Then I woke up and I found myself lying almost on top of Harry.

 **Roxy**  
Ooohh this sounds good

 **Eggsy**  
And HARRY WAS ALREADY AWAKE

 **Eggsy**  
And you know what the worst part was?

 **Roxy**  
I know I’m going to regret this but fuck it, I’m so curious. What?

 **Eggsy**  
I had a fucking stiffy and it was obvious Harry felt it ‘cos he was so still and he smiled this really stiff smile when I looked up at him

 **Eggsy**  
SO FUCKING MORTIFYING :((((

 **Roxy**  
NOOOOOO

 **Roxy**  
HAHAHAHA

 **Eggsy**  
Some friend you are

 **Roxy**  
I’m sorry but it’s funny!

 **Roxy**  
What happened next?

 **Eggsy**  
Are you shitting me?

 **Roxy**  
Eggsy, come on

 **Eggsy**  
I made up some excuse about needing the bathroom, so I got up and left

 **Eggsy**  
It was so bad, bruv

 **Roxy**  
Obviously, Harry was chill about the whole thing if you’re alive to tell the tale

 **Eggsy**  
Yeah, duh. He made up some reason about biology and how it’s normal for us blokes to get morning wood

 **Eggsy**  
I mean

 **Eggsy**  
He did that to make me feel less embarrassed BUT IN FACT HE JUST MADE IT WORSE

 **Roxy**  
HAHAHAHA

 **Eggsy**  
Smh. The love of my life, everybody

 **Roxy**  
That was too fucking cute. Hella awkward, yeah, but still so cute :P

 **Eggsy**  
:((((

 **Roxy**  
How about the succeeding nights?

 **Eggsy**  
I’ll tell you when I get back

 **Eggsy**  
I gtg. Alastair wants to go souvenir shopping hehe :p

 **Roxy**  
Not fair! Just a tiny bit of detail?

 **Eggsy**  
Noooo please, it’s just embarrassing and more (if you know what I mean)

 **Roxy**  
Pretty please? :- <

 **Eggsy**  
You’re the fucking worst, Roxanne

 **Roxy**  
You know you love me

 **Eggsy**  
Shut up, you’re not Gossip Girl

 **Roxy**  
I’m waiting, Gary

 **Eggsy**  
…

 **Eggsy**  
I woke up before him this morning and he was spooning me and I felt HIS morning wood ok that’s it for now kthxbye

 **Roxy**  
Oh my god you prick

 **Eggsy**  
xoxo

###### 

At some point, his summer vacation comes to an end and Eggsy finds himself back in the dormitory at the University of Oxford for the last time. Well, technically the last time since he has to make it through the next two semesters first before he graduates the following year. He had spent the last month of his vacation having some quality time with his family, slumber parties with Roxy at her place, catching up with Ryan and Jamal at their usual pub, spending as much time as he can with Harry, and helping out at the shop whenever he had a free time.

Basically, the usual.

A week before he’s to return to Oxford, he and Roxy had paid Andrew — the elderly man who retired a few years ago at Kingsman and whom Gareth replaced — at the nursing home after word got out that his health was deteriorating after being diagnosed with pneumonia. Eggsy, who had known the kindhearted man longer than Roxy, wasn’t ashamed to shed a few tears after seeing his old friend the first time they visited.

“He’s a strong lad,” Martha, the caretaker, had informed them before they left that day. There was a sad smile on her face, and it’s clear that she had grown to genuinely care for the retired tailor. “But a man his age — at 85 years old — it’s only a matter of time before his body gives up.”

Still, it wasn’t a nice thing to hear, hearing the truth. And although Eggsy is beginning to come to terms with the fact that sooner than later he’ll be losing someone whom he considers family, it doesn’t mean that he’s okay with it.

“Are you alright, my dear boy?” asks Harry, distracting Eggsy from his grim thoughts.

The young blond looks at his best friend, who took a day off to drive Eggsy to the campus instead of letting Eggsy take the bus — something he’s done for the past three years. The sudden change of routine was a bit weird, seeing that he’s already 21 years old and perfectly capable of looking after himself. But hey, he’s not one to look a gift horse in the mouth; besides, Eggsy would never say no to spending more time with Harry.

“Yeah, m’fine,” Eggsy lies through his teeth with a crooked smile. “Just zoned out there for a bit, sorry.”

Harry doesn’t look convinced at his answer. There’s a familiar glint in his eyes as the older tailor takes in Eggsy’s countenance. Thankfully, Harry knows him well enough to not prod him further; and Eggsy internally sighs at that, grateful that his best friend knows when to back off and let him be. They spend the next ten minutes in silence, Harry changing the sheets and pillowcase, and dusting the nightstand and study table while Eggsy sorts out his toiletries in the bathroom and empties out his luggage.

He’s just finished packing up the rest of his clothes in the dresser when he’s promptly pulled into a one-armed hug by the taller man. Harry presses a kiss to Eggsy’s temple and murmurs, breath tickling Eggsy’s short hairs, “It’s okay, you know. It won’t be at first, but it’ll be okay.”

Somehow, those simple words are enough to break the dam that had built in Eggsy’s chest over the past week since he discovered of Andrew’s state. The weight that has been lying heavily in him bursts and Eggsy doesn’t hesitate to turn around and bury his face in Harry’s chest, arms going around the tailor’s trim waist in a vice grip.

In turn, Harry wraps his arms around his frame, one hand rubbing consolingly on his back while the other rests on the back of his head, thumb rubbing small circles onto his scalp.

“It’s not fair,” Eggsy sobs, aware that he’s ruining Harry’s white dress shirt as he smears it with salty tears and snot. “It’s not fair.”

Harry doesn’t respond with words, seeing that it won’t bring comfort at all to Eggsy’s distress. Instead, Harry chooses to press kisses to the side of his head, arms tightening around the younger man.

He doesn’t let go for a long time.

###### 

“I swear to Mr. Pickle, if I have to open one more goddamn book, I’m gonna fucking fling myself off this building.”

“That’s a horrible thought, Eggsy. Don’t use Mr. Pickle’s name in vain.”

“Harry,” Eggsy whines. There’s a loud thud as he drops his head on the thick tome he’s currently reading. “You’re supposed to cheer me on,” he adds, voice muffled as his face is still pressed to the book.

“Brat,” Harry replies, and the young blond can hear the smile in his voice. “And I _am_ cheering on you. I’m saying that it’s your last year and if you want to stay on top of the honor roll, then sacrifices have to be made.”

Eggsy groans in response, lips twitching then when he hears the older man chuckle in his ear. Almost a month and a half has passed since the new semester started and Eggsy is ready to give his professors the two-fingered salute and walk out. But he knows that’s just his stressed-out mind talking, and he’s certain he’ll get suspended if he even dares try to do that. He even had a similar discussion with Roxy over the phone two days ago, the young woman reminding Eggsy of the promise they made to each other about finishing university on top. So here he is, slouched over his study table as he searches for the information he needs for his research paper. He’s gone through three thick books already, and he has a feeling he won’t find what he’s looking for in the book he’s currently reading.

That’s where Harry comes in the picture. He texted his friend almost an hour ago if he could serve as Eggsy’s beacon, knowing that the older gentleman’s kind, encouraging words are genuine and not only said for his sake.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, exactly how stressed are you?” Harry asks suddenly, breaking Eggsy out of his musings on the current chapter he’s reading on gender theories. What compelled him to take up a double fucking major in English Language and Literature _and_ Human Sciences is beyond him at the moment.

It takes him several moments before his mind processes what he was asked.

Eggsy blinks and honestly admits, “11.”

He hears Harry hum at the other end, the sound a pleasing rumble thanks to the earphones he’s currently wearing.

“You’re off Thursday and Friday, yes?” Harry asks again, out of the blue.

Even though the tailor won’t be able to see his reaction, Eggsy raises an eyebrow.

“Yes,” he replies, dragging out the vowel. Then he narrows his eyes. “Why’d you ask?”

“How about I pay you a visit?” Harry offers, sounding thoughtful. “We could spend the day away from campus, help you take your mind off your schoolwork, even if it’s only for a couple of hours.”

 _Oh, you can help me take my mind off my schoolwork however you want,_ Eggsy’s mind supplies dirtily.

 _Shut the fuck up,_ he growls at his subconscious.

_You weren’t thinking that when your fingers were deep inside your arse thinking about Harry fucking you —_

“Yes!” Eggsy exclaims with a squeak. He winces at how overeager he sounds just then, inwardly berating himself for thinking such perverse thoughts when the _object_ of his fucking _affections_ is on the other end of the line, patiently waiting for his response. “Yeah. I’d love that, Harry. I mean… you’d really do that?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” is Harry’s answer, sounding a little bemused at the question.

Eggsy snorts. “Duh, mate. You got work. And aren’t you supposed to leave for Canada on Saturday?”

“Saturday evening, yes. But what of it? I want to visit you, and seeing as you’re incredibly tense at the moment, I figured it’d be a perfect opportunity for us to catch up. Don’t you agree?”

The young blond finds himself shaking his head, both in amusement and fondness at how a little shit Harry can be.

“You’re incorrigible, y’know that, right?” he teases.

Harry lets out a snort that Eggsy finds _cute_. God, he’s so fucking _pathetic_.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Eggsy just rolls his eyes, but a sappy grin is slowly growing on his tired face.

 _I don’t think I can ever say no to you,_.

“Yeah, duh. ‘Course it’s a yes.”

And if Harry’s sweet response of “Then I look forward to seeing you” sends his heart fluttering and brings a deep blush to Eggsy’s cheeks — well, at least it’s only him in the room.

###### 

**Merlin**  
Hello, Eggsy. How are you?

 **Eggsy**  
Hey, Merlin! I’m great, thanks. How’ve you been?

 **Merlin**  
Good, good. Thanks.

 **Merlin**  
Listen, I know Harry told you about my intention to propose to Roxy next year.

 **Merlin**  
And Harry told me that you told him that I should talk to Lee who has connections to a jeweler.

 **Eggsy**  
Yeah, his cousin or nephew. I forgot but all I know is that he’s a relative.

 **Eggsy**  
What about it, bruv?

 **Merlin**  
I talked to Lee a few weeks ago and last week, I met your uncle at his workplace. And I found the perfect ring.

 **Merlin**  
Well, more like Bradley helped me narrow down my search. Now, I’m having Roxy’s ring customized.

 **Eggsy**  
That’s amazing, Merlin! Knew you’d find the perfect ring for your perfect lass. ;)

 **Merlin**  
Aye, and I owe it all to you. Thank you, Eggsy, I appreciate your help. Even if your best friend went behind my back and told you when I specifically told him not to tell anyone.

 **Eggsy**  
Oi, I’ll have none of that. You continue treating Rox like a fucking queen and consider your debt fulfilled. ;D

 **Merlin**  
She deserves nothing but the best.

 **Eggsy**  
Besides, Harry tells me everything, bruv. Plus, I’m not “anyone”. :P

 **Merlin**  
Ah. Does he now?

 **Eggsy**  
Yeah. Of course. Why’d you ask?

 **Merlin**  
Nothing, lad.

 **Eggsy**  
Doesn’t sound like nothing to me.

 **Merlin**  
Do you want to see the sketch of what Roxy’s ring will look like?

 **Eggsy**  
Real smooth, my friend. Real smooth.

 **Merlin**  
I try. :)

 **Eggsy**  
/:)

 **Merlin**  
What is that?

 **Eggsy**  
It’s me raising an eyebrow at you.

 **Merlin**  
Looks like an emoticon with bangs, actually.

 **Eggsy**  
That’s what I told Roxy!

 **Merlin**  
Anyway, do you want to see the sketch or not? I haven’t shown it to Harry yet.

 **Eggsy**  
Oohh I’m feeling special today, Merl. Of course, I’d love to see it! :D

 **Merlin**  
[roxannesring-sketch.jpg]

###### 

Eggsy slowly opens his eyes and takes in his surroundings. He registers Harry sleeping soundly behind him, the older man’s arms wrapped around his waist as he spoons the shorter man. He hums contentedly and shifts to get closer to Harry, and he finds himself sighing in contentment when Harry responds by tightening his hold on Eggsy and pulling the young blond closer. Then his breath hitches as gasp escape past his lips when he feels a significant bulge prod against the cleft of his clothed arse. He fidgets closer, only to have Harry grumble and bury his face on the junction where Eggsy’s neck and shoulder meet. Eggsy can’t resist caressing Harry’s forearm, fingers drawing lazy circles. It must’ve been several minutes, but Eggsy finds himself dozing off again.

The next time he wakes up, he can feel warm, dry lips on his neck and jaw. Eggsy lets out a loud moan when Harry lightly nips at his ear, his hands caressing the young blond’s waist and hips.

“Harry,” Eggsy gasps when Harry sucks on his neck, tongue licking the bruised skin after he’s made his mark. “ _Harry_.”

He feels more than hears Harry’s voice rumble in his ear. That sound doesn’t fail to shoot sparks of pleasure down Eggsy’s spine, feeling his cock swell and harden in his boxers.

“Oh, my dear boy,” Harry murmurs sweetly, voice deep and gravelly from sleep. “I’ve been wanting this for a long time.”

Eggsy makes a noise at the back of his throat in response. He raises and twists his arm to lightly grip the back of Harry’s hair, curly and unkempt (just how Eggsy prefers it, if he’s being honest) when Harry dips his head and nibbles on Eggsy’s jaw.

“R-really?” Eggsy asks, heart beating hard against his ribcage. Feeling bold, he moves his hips to feel more of Harry’s cock, and he purrs when he finds out that Harry is _above_ average. “Been wanting this for a long time, too.”

Harry growls, and before Eggsy can get another word out, the tailor detaches his arms from around Eggsy to flip him on his back. His gasp quickly turns into a loud moan when Harry spreads his legs and moves to hover over him, their stiff members touching through the layers of cloth between them.

“You are so beautiful,” Harry murmurs, his large hands gripping Eggsy’s hips possessively. “Absolutely gorgeous.”

Eggsy tips his chin to get a better look at his best friend, and he takes a sharp intake of breath when he sees the man’s dilated pupils and flushed cheeks. No doubt that he looks the same, finally having his fantasies become reality.

“Harry,” Eggsy breathes out, raising his arms to wrap around the older man’s shoulders, fingers grazing the small hairs on the back of his neck.

“What do you want, darling?” Harry asks, voice soft and velvety as he inches closer until their noses are brushing. “Tell me and I will give it to you.”

Eggsy doesn’t need to be asked twice.

“Kiss me.”

He’s barely finished his sentence when Harry’s lips descend on his. Eggsy moans against his mouth, his grip on the other man’s hair tightening as he tilts his head to get a better angle. His shirt must’ve ridden up because the moment Harry’s warm fingers graze his skin, Eggsy’s breath hitches and he gasps — the sound swallowed by another moan when Harry lightly bites his lower lip. He gladly parts his lips to welcome Harry’s tongue, and from there it becomes a hazy blur.

Eggsy can’t remember how long they made out, but damn it’s the best snog he’s ever had in his 21 years. Harry kisses like a man on a mission -  nipping and nibbling on Eggsy’s lips, tongue tracing the outline of his mouth before licking the insides and taking his time with his exploration. Eggsy gives as good as he gets, tugging at Harry’s shoulder until the tailor finally gets the message and carefully lowers his body on top of Eggsy. He’s not exactly lightweight, but Eggsy immensely enjoys the solid weight of his best friend. He can feel as he runs a hand down Harry’s back to grab one of his buttocks that Harry is still fucking _fit_ for a man in his mid-40s.

With his other hand gripping the back of Harry’s head, Eggsy caresses Harry’s tongue with his own, the latter groaning when Eggsy licks the roof his mouth before biting his upper lip. Harry groans again when Eggsy thrusts his hips to get more friction between their clothed cocks. Unfortunately, Harry’s firm grip on his hips prevent Eggsy from doing more, the young blond whimpering when Harry rolls his hips against his. He sees stars for a second, distantly thinking with glee that he’s going to be walking around later with bruises the size of Harry’s hands on his hips.

“Look at you,” Harry says, and he sounds in awe as he looks down at Eggsy — pupils blown wide with lust and lips swollen. “So beautiful, and you’re all mine.”

Eggsy whimpers and he nods. “Yeah. Yours, Harry. I’m all yours, always been.”

“Do you promise?” Harry asks, nuzzling Eggsy’s jaw before leaving another bruising mark there. _Christ_ , Eggsy’s neck is gonna be filled with hickeys, and he can’t bring himself to give a fuck about it.

“Yes,” Eggsy answers resolutely. “I promise. I’m yours, Harry. There’s no one else, there never was. Only you.”

“Oh, Eggsy. My darling boy,” Harry purrs. The sound causes Eggsy’s cock to twitch, and he feels precum leaking from the head and staining his boxers _again_. “My sweet, precious darling boy.”

 _Fuck me_ , Eggsy thinks, and he doesn’t doubt for a second that he can come just from Harry calling him that.

The older man leans down and meets Eggsy’s eager lips in a passionate kiss, leaving both of them breathless and panting by the time they separate for air, only to meet in the middle in a clash of tongues, teeth, and lips. Somehow, they manage to remove the rest of their clothes without detaching their lips for more than two seconds. Before he knows it, Eggsy finds himself wrapping his legs around Harry’s waist as the latter starts to thrust his leaking cock against Eggsy’s. His arms tighten around Harry’s broad shoulders, and he bites the man’s neck when Harry rolls his hips just so that sends waves of pleasure through Eggsy’s body. More precum leaks from his aching cock as he rocks his hips to meet Harry’s thrusts.

“I love you,” Eggsy hears himself confess, his heart swelling with affection when Harry’s piercing gaze meets his. He feels a stinging in the corner of his eyes as he repeats, “I love you, Harry.”

“Oh, Eggsy,” Harry sighs against his mouth, their lips touching as they continue to move in a languid pace. Harry shifts so his bare chest is resting on top of Eggsy’s, one arm moving up to wrap around his torso while his other hand moves down to grip their cocks. “I love you, too.”

Eggsy cries out when Harry’s hand, slick with sweat and their precum, touches him for the first time. He doesn’t care if he’s moaning loudly and wantonly. The feel of Harry’s calloused fingers stroking him is fucking heavenly. He sees Harry open his mouth to speak.

However, no words come out, but a shrill sound that jolts him out of the dream.

Eggsy jerks awake and he blindly reaches for his phone on the nightstand. It takes him several tries before he shuts the stupid device off, not even bothering to read the message as it’s the ringtone that woke him up in the first place.

 _Shit shit shit_ , he chants as he falls back on his bed. Heart beating wildly in his chest, Eggsy runs a hand through his disheveled hair as he recalls the very vivid dream — wait, _wet dream_ — he just had that featured himself and Harry. Breathing out loudly through his nose, Eggsy closes his eyes as the image of dream-Harry’s cock, long and thick and red, comes to the forefront of his mind.

Groaning, Eggs thumps his head against his pillow. His other hand trails down his chest and navel before gripping his own leaking member through his stained boxers. Cursing his luck and groaning again, Eggsy makes up his mind and quickly slips out of his undergarment before taking his cock in one hand. He strokes himself, using the precum to slick his whole length. Letting out another deep sigh, Eggsy starts to stroke himself in earnest. He twists his wrist, just the way he likes it to pleasure himself and alternates between rubbing the slit with his thumb, more precum leaking out. He uses his other hand to fondle his bollocks, and a moan escapes past his lips when he allows himself to recall dream-Harry touching him.

“Fuck, fuck,” Eggsy mutters under his breath. He’s so close, can feel his balls tighten as he continues to stroke himself.

He gasps when he lightly squeezes his length. His strokes soon become erratic, breaths coming out in short pants as he quickly approaches his climax. He pumps his cock once, twice, and rubs his thumb one last time across his slit before he comes to the image of dream-Harry professing his love to him. Long, thick ropes of cum shoot and land on his bare belly and chest, some even hitting his neck. Exhausted and sated, Eggsy collapses back into his bed with a loud huff. Chest heaving from the exertion, he allows himself this short reprieve.

After several minutes, he grabs a tissue from the nightstand and wipes off the cum drying on his body. He sits in bed to throw the soiled tissue on the waste bin before grabbing his phone from the nightstand again. He slides the notification open and is unable to fight off the blush that creeps over his face when he sees that it’s a text from Harry.

 **Harry**  
Good morning, my dear boy. I’m half an hour away, just stopped by the gas station.

Well, shit.

Checking the time, Eggsy lets out another curse when he sees it’s a quarter past nine, and Harry’s text was sent almost fifteen minutes ago. He quickly types out his response, hoping Harry will take his time driving.

_Morning, babe. Sorry for the late reply, just woke up haha. Come on up when you’re here, I’m gonna get ready now. See you! xxx_

He realises too late, when the message has already been sent, that his phone’s autocorrect changed the “bruv” to “babe”. He groans out loud, praying to God that Harry doesn’t think too much over it. 

“Shit, fuck, shit,” he curses again when he hurries to get out of bed, only to have his legs tangle with the blankets and he lands in a graceless heap on the floor.

Eggsy groans once more, uncertain how he’s going to be able to look Harry in the eye again after the morning he’s just had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my first time writing smut, so please be gentle. *hides under a rock*
> 
> And oh, please do let me know what you think!


	8. Interlude: Christmas 2012

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Can’t imagine what I would’ve ended up becoming if you weren’t in my life. Probably some street rat who steals cars and starts bar fights for shits and giggles.”
> 
> “Eggsy,” Harry starts.
> 
> “Not true, I know. What are the odds of that even happening? Probably slim to none, but still. You may not’ve been there for me from day one, but what I know is that you’ve been there for me through everything I went through since I was 10. Even when I thought I didn’t need anyone, you were there. Aside from mum and dad, you’re the number one constant in my life, Harry. And believe me when I say that I’m gonna want you to continue being in my life for a long, long time. Possibly forever. Just saying.” He adds with a casual shrug, but inwardly Eggsy is freaking out because _he’s said too much, fuck._
> 
> Before he can even consider making a run for it, he catches sight of Harry lifting a hand to cup Eggsy’s face. The callouses of Harry’s fingers against his neck and jaw lightly scratch the stubble Eggsy decided to grow out since yesterday morning, the weight of Harry’s hand familiar and soothing as the tailor slowly rubs his thumb against the curve of Eggsy’s jaw.
> 
> “You will always, _always_ , have me, Eggsy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! So, this is delayed again. But better late than never, right? I'm so sorry for making you guys wait so long; these past several months have been tough on me, personally, and it's taken me longer than I thought to recover from my depressive mood. I've only recently started writing again, and I posted a my first fanfic in The Avengers fandom (SteveTony shippers, anyone? Iron!Dad & Spider!Son, too?) — so check that out if you wanna!
> 
> Now, this chapter went through several re-writes. I meant to post this last April, but by the third — fourth? Fifth? I lost count — re-write, I knew I had to start fresh. My muse has been bugging me to take this story to a different route, and who am I to say no to my muse? So here it is, 8.7k words later. I know it's taking me a really long time to finish this fic, but please bear with me. After all, Harry & Eggsy have been there for me at my best, and though I abandoned them at my worst, I'm slowly figuring out that their story is one I can't give up on.
> 
> So onwards I go.
> 
> Thank you for your continuous support and patience. I do hope you'll enjoy reading this chapter as much as I've enjoyed writing it. There's a lot of Hartwin fluff ahead, so buckle up! ;)

_“You take someone to the airport, it’s clearly the beginning of the relationship. That's why I have never taken anyone to the airport at the beginning of a relationship. Because eventually things move on and you don't take someone to the airport and I never wanted anyone to say to me, ‘How come you never take me to the airport anymore?’”_

— Harry Burns; When Harry Met Sally (1989)

* * *

**November 29, 2012**

WhatsApp Group Name: The Round Table

Lee: So, Christmas is coming up in a few weeks. Who’s hosting this year?

James: I believe it’s mine and Alastair’s turn.

Alastair: Yes.

Lee: Ooh brilliant. More space to dance.

Gareth: Should I bring lasagne again?

Alastair: Not necessary as we have a cook, Gareth, but we won’t turn down food.

Gareth: Awesomesauce. Thanks, Al! :D

Merlin: Gareth, take it easy on the cheese this time, please.

Roxy: Hahaha.

Merlin: *facepalm*

Roxy: ;)

James: Alright, alright. Keep it in your pants, you two.

Alastair: JAMES

Lee: He he he

Lee: Oi, Merlin, any news on Harry yet?

Merlin: None so far, Lee. Sorry.

Lee: Eh, it’s fine. Eggsy’s busy studying for his exams, anyway.

Gareth: What’s the plan this year?

Roxy: There’s really not much we can do, if you think about it.

Michelle: Hello! Sorry, had to go through all your messages first before I can reply.

Alastair: Hello, Mich.

Merlin: Hello, Michelle.

Roxy: Hi, Mrs. Unwin! :)

Lee: Hi, luv xxx

James: Ew, Lee, keep it in YOUR pants.

James: ;)

Michelle: Piss off, J.

Michelle: I just got off my shift. What’s going on?

Gareth: Hi, Michelle! We’re talking about our plans for Christmas. :D

James: Al and I are hosting this year!

Michelle: Oh, that’s lovely! Also for New Year’s, yes?

Roxy: Ooh, I’d love to see the fireworks from the balcony this time ‘round!

Alastair: I don’t see the problem with that. I’m alright with it.

James: Same here! Been a while since any of you have been to our home. We’ll make it a night to remember — both nights, I mean. ;) ;)

Lee: Mate, is that the only emoticon you know?

James: Ehhh. ;)

Merlin: *vomit*

Roxy: Everyone

Roxy: I just got a text from Eggsy

Michelle: What did he say?

Lee: What did he say?

Gareth: What happened?

Merlin: ???

James: I hope something sexy happened!

Alastair: James, cut it out.

Lee: That’s my son, you wanker.

Michelle: What did he say, Roxy?

Roxy: Jesus, you guys are worse than a bunch of teenage girls

Roxy: I say — rather, type — that with love, btw

Merlin: Roxanne

Roxy: Okay, okay! I’m gonna paste it here

Roxy: “Rox, would u mind asking Merlin what’s on Harry’s wishlist? For all the years I’ve known the man, I’m still struggling to buy him gifts. Practicality aside, I just wanna give him something really fucking special and I’m lost. :(((“

James: Hahaha that’s cute

Roxy: Wait there’s more

Roxy: “Also, you’re off uni a day earlier, yeah? There’s this party I’m invited to and I want you to come :D”

Roxy: I replied with, “Alright, I’ll ask Merlin later when I talk to him. And yes, I am. What kind of party is this?”

Gareth: LOL that was a smooth lie

Alastair: Oh, if only Eggsy knew.

Michelle: Hmm, he hasn’t told me and Lee about this party in the other group yet.

James: I’m sure he will. He’ll probably tell you the night before hahaha.

James: ;)

Lee: Shut up, J.

Roxy: He just replied. “Just a party to celebrate the end of exams. Gonna tell mum and dad I’ll be a day late going home. :D”

Michelle: Mhmm. What did you say, luv?

Roxy: I said, “Never took you the type to attend a party, Eggs. :P Who invited you?”

Roxy: Oh, he’s replied again. Wait, I think he’s taking a break from studying. Ttyl. I’ll update you in a bit.

James: Wait what does “ttyl” mean?

Merlin: Talk to you later

Gareth: Talk to you later :P

James: Well, that’s just rude!

Alastair: James, no…

Michelle: Hahaha

Lee: Fucking hell, mate

Gareth: :))

Merlin: God help me…

James: OH. Oops. My bad.

James: ;)

###### 

**December 15, 2012**

Following a week of submitting his research paper and finishing his written exams, Eggsy had enjoyed a night of dancing and drinking with his peers. He had asked one of his classmates in one of his classes - some rich tosser who actually ends up being really fucking nice - if he could invite a friend from outside the campus. After he was given the okay signal, the young blond didn’t hesitate to invite Roxy. His friend reluctantly accepted the offer, claiming in the end that she’s only attending because she doesn’t want to see Eggsy make a spectacle of himself once he’s had a drink too many. Eggsy brushed off her concern, but it was well-founded as he can get a bit carried away with his drinking if unsupervised.

The party took place at a pub near their campus, and Roxy had agreed to meet Eggsy at his dorm to drop off her things so they can walk to the locale together. It was a fun night, Eggsy had to admit. He mingled with his peers and met several other students from other courses, and Eggsy remembered telling Roxy that he’s never had this sort of interaction before, claiming that he regretted not going out more often as he prioritised his studies more. Roxy had assured him that it was also the same for her, that they can enjoy the simple pleasures of life after they both graduate at the top of their class. Afterwards, Roxy had coaxed Eggsy to take some shots with her, which the young blond eagerly agreed to. From there, the rest of the night became a blur, and Eggsy counted themselves lucky that they were able to walk home without getting mugged, or worse.

They arrived at his dorm a little after two in the morning, immediately crashing in bed together and not waking up until noon. If it weren’t for the shrill tone of Eggsy’s phone waking them up and Michelle shouting at Eggsy for not texting her or Harry last night, they probably wouldn’t have woken up for another couple of hours. Chagrined, Eggsy apologised profusely to his mum and promised he’d call Harry after discovering that his best friend had called him several times while waiting for his connecting flight in Dubai.

Overall, it was a night that Eggsy didn’t regret… much. Thank fuck he had Roxy, who didn’t hesitate to bolt to the bathroom to empty the contents of her stomach.

“Fuck you, Unwin,” the young woman groans from the toilet seat. Eggsy chuckles weakly after he hangs up the phone. “Never again.”

“Never say never, bruv,” he offers cheekily, voice raspy from sleep. His tongue feels like cotton and his throat is as dry as the fucking Sahara. _Those fucking shots,_ he curses.

Well, it’s officially the holidays now anyway, and it’s Eggsy’s favourite time of the year.

* * *

**December 20, 2012**

It’s five days before Christmas and Eggsy still hasn’t bought Harry’s gift. He’s already asked for Roxy’s and Merlin’s help, the latter admitting that he doesn’t know what’s on Harry’s wishlist, and suggested that as the older man’s best friend Eggsy should at least have an idea (or two) on what Harry might like. In the end, his two friends couldn’t help him and so Eggsy has to resort to other means.

Meaning, he’s going to ask his mum for help.

* * *

**December 21, 2012**

“I don’t know, Eggsy,” his mum tells him four days before Christmas. Michelle pauses in her ministrations of rolling the dough for a bread she’s baking and turns pensive as she considers her son’s question again. “Can you remember a time when Harry mentioned about wantin’ something?”

It’s Eggsy’s turn to become pensive as he thinks back on past conversations he’s had with Harry. Several seconds pass and his mind comes up blank. Sighing in frustration, the young blond runs a hand over his short blond locks and shakes his head.

“Nah, can’t remember anythin’ that stands out,” he answers. Eggsy smiles sheepishly at Michelle when he sees his mum roll her eyes at him in exasperation.

“Well, I’m sure Harry will still love whatever you choose to buy him. Even if it ends up being a lump of coal.”

Eggsy squawks at his mum who takes one look at his expression and laughs.

“Mum! This is serious!” Eggsy exclaims indignantly, but his lips twitch into a smile as Michelle continues to giggle. Shaking his head, he hugs his mother from behind and murmurs against her dark blonde hair, “But honestly, I’m strugglin’ what to get Harry for Christmas.”

Michelle’s giggles subside and her smile softens as she squeezes Eggsy’s forearm wrapped around her torso. “Aw, baby Egg, you’ve never had a problem buying Harry a gift before. Why’re you fretting about it now?”

Thankful that his mum can’t see him, Eggsy hides his rapidly flushing face on Michelle’s hair as he bites his lip.

It’s funny, really. Well, not funny, more like utterly fucking frustrating. It’s true that he’s never had a problem buying Harry gifts before. He’s always been on the practical side when it comes to gift-giving; having bought Harry a new phone after his accident nearly three years ago, and also a new brolly the previous year after it got accidentally destroyed when his best friend decided to walk home during a storm. Eggsy even remembers buying Harry a Ted Baker leather journal for his birthday several months ago, knowing the older tailor still prefers to jot down his thoughts in pen and paper than typing it on his laptop.

So, why is this time different then? What changed in the three months since Harry’s birthday? And why, in God’s green Earth, is Eggsy troubling himself on finding Harry the best Christmas gift when his best friend has always appreciated Eggsy’s efforts? Why? Granted, he loves Harry. Of course he loves Harry, he’s his _best friend_. But Eggsy is also _in love_ with Harry, which makes it both complicated and different. Complicated because the past several months he has been tip toeing around Harry when it comes to physical affection and whatever Eggsy decides to gift this year will make or break his stand in Harry’s life. It’s also different because now that he’s fully accepted his growing feelings for the older tailor, Eggsy is aware that what comes out of his mouth may mean one thing to Harry and anyone else, but deep down he knows the truth of what he’s saying.

He voices to Harry that he misses him? Of course he does, but his heart is screaming, _“I miss you - all of you. Not just your hugs or your presence or your taste for romantic comedy movies. You. You’re home to me and it scares the fuck outta me just how much you mean to me. I miss_ you _”._ And, well, isn’t that a terrifying notion?

In the end, Eggsy sighs against Michelle’s hair and mutters, “I dunno. Guess I just want it to be extra special this year? I mean, he took me on that Asia trip last summer! How can I beat that?”

He feels his mum shake her head as she pats his arm again.

“Eggsy, you know Harry would never want you to spend so much on him, especially while you’re still a student,” Michelle speaks softly. “Besides, you an’ I both know Harry’d love whatever you give him.”

“You really think so?” Eggsy asks, lifting his head to look at his mum who cranes her neck up to meet her son’s eyes.

There’s still skepticism in his eyes, and Michelle is quick to ease her son’s doubts.

She offers Eggsy a lopsided smile and then says, “‘Course, babe. Remember that it’s the thought that counts. In fact, I think Harry’d love if you gave him somethin’ more personal. Like a book or somethin’. You did mention he was into poetry as well, yeah?”

Eggsy snorts but then stops short, an idea suddenly forming in his mind.

“Yeah, yeah he does,” the young blond replies distantly. “He has a collection. Mind you, I’ve lost count how many times he’s read Pablo Neruda’s works.”

“Well, that’s somewhere you can start, then. Maybe give him something that you know he will like to collect.”

Eggsy gives his mum a wide grin before bending and giving her a loud, wet kiss on the cheek.

“Mum, you’re the best! I think I know what to give Harry now.”

With one last kiss and hug, Eggsy lets go and leaves his mum in the kitchen, completely unaware of the mischievous twinkle in Michelle’s eyes.

* * *

**Michelle**  
Hey, babe. Your son’s just asked me for gift advice.

 **Lee**  
Hi, darling. I take it you helped him?

 **Michelle**  
‘Course. Wouldn’t want to jeapordise our baby Egg’s happiness.

 **Lee**  
Are you still sure about this?

 **Michelle**  
You know I am. Why? Are you having second thoughts?

 **Lee**  
No no. You know I’ve gotten over the age difference bit.

 **Michelle**  
Then what’s the problem this time?

 **Lee**  
I just don’t want Eggsy to get hurt. You’ve seen the way he looks at Harry, like he’s his whole world. It’s heartbreaking sometimes.

 **Lee**  
It’s the same look on your face when you look at me, M. And the same for J when he looks Al.

 **Michelle**  
Yeah, but don’t you also see the way Harry looks at him? Like Eggsy’s the sunshine to Harry’s sunflower?

 **Lee**  
Terrible description, love, but I get your point. I can see it, too, yeah.

 **Michelle**  
Then what’s the problem? Harry loves Eggsy just as much as our son loves him. ‘Course, we can’t do or say anythin’ now ‘cos Eggsy’s still in uni, but we gotta give ‘em the right push where it needs pushing.

 **Lee**  
I know, I know.

 **Lee**  
And before you remind me, I know that we both agreed that we won’t interfere with them.

 **Michelle**  
Exactly. Those two are as thick as a brick wall, but we got to let them realise their feelings in their own time. It’ll take a longer while than usual, but the whole group knows it’s better if we don’t meddle. Much.

 **Lee**  
You’re right. As always.

 **Michelle**  
I know I am.

 **Lee**  
But sometimes, I just want to go to up to Harry and tell him to just kiss Eggsy and get it over with. Then I remember that’s my son I’m talking about, so, never mind.

 **Michelle**  
Haha. I know, baby, but it’ll happen in their own terms.

 **Lee**  
I know, I know… I love you.

 **Michelle**  
I love you, too. Now stop being such a worrywart and get your arse home. I’m making banana bread.

 **Lee**  
Yes, ma’am. See you in an hour, M xxx

 **Michelle**  
Drive safe, L xxx

###### 

**December 23, 2012**

With only a few days left before Christmas (and the Christmas party James and Alastair are going to host this year), Eggsy is in the middle of getting Harry’s gift done when the doorbell rings. He ignores it, knowing either his mum or dad will answer the door. Eggsy focuses on the laptop screen before him, absently nibbling on the end of his pen before he scratches a line of text from the scratch of paper to his right. From his room, he can hear Daisy babbling along to an episode of Dora the Explorer in the living room, and he’s just had an idea of what to add to his growing list when the doorbell rings a second time.

“Fuck’s sake!” Eggsy growls in frustration.

“Eggsy! Will you get that, please?” his dad calls out from the — bathroom? Bedroom? Eh, it doesn’t matter.

With a groan, Eggsy abandons his project and grudgingly gets up. He goes out of his room and hurriedly walks down the stairs to answer the door, passing by the kitchen to see his mum taking out a tray of fresh chocolate chip cookies from the oven. Michelle sees him and acknowledges her son with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, luv, my hands are a bit full at the moment,” she says as she sets the tray on the counter.

Eggsy waves it off with a smile before he approaches their front door and opens it the same time the doorbell rings for the third time.

“What —“

He’s just about to finish off with “the fuck?” but he stops himself short when he finally sees the person patiently waiting outside.

“Hello, Eggsy,” Harry greets with a faint smirk. “Did I come at a bad time?”

“Harry!” Eggsy exclaims in shock, his annoyance immediately dissipating and being replaced with butterflies fluttering in his stomach. “Not at all! We just wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow, bruv!”

“Ah, yes, I wrapped things up in Belgium earlier than I expected, so I booked the earliest flight and I arrived late last night,” answers the older tailor with a shrug. “And here I am.”

Eggsy nods, smirking yet secretly thrilled that his best friend’s back from an emergency trip that nearly ruined his plans. “And here you are. Come on in, so sorry for letting you wait in the cold.”

“Not a problem at all.”

The shorter man steps aside to let Harry in and he belatedly notices that his best friend is carrying two paper bags with him.

“Are those for me?” Eggsy gestures teasingly to the paper bags Harry’s carrying in one hand.

Harry deposits them on the ground first before pulling his coat, scarf and gloves off and giving Eggsy a look that makes the latter chuckle. Eggsy hangs the coat and scarf for him while Harry unties the laces of his boots and sets it on the shoe rack located along the hall.

“Not just for you, I’m afraid,” Harry quips back when he rights himself, clad in a thick grey cashmere jumper, dark trousers, and thick, black socks. “I bought a few more gifts for Daisy, which I hope she will enjoy.”

“Oi, you’re literally buying her love!” Eggsy protests, feigning a betrayed look as he takes a step closer to the man to hug him.

Harry just laughs and pulls Eggsy into a hug, Eggsy joining in when the taller man drops a chaste kiss on his temple. Fighting off a blush, Eggsy shakes his head instead, craning his neck in time to kiss the edge of Harry’s jaw before he disentangles his arms from around Harry’s trim waist and lets them drop to his side.

“You can drop the gifts under the tree,” Eggsy says when Harry moves to pick up the paper bags. “Dad’s taking a shower and Mum’s baking, so feel free to steal some cookies with me.”

“Thank you, my dear boy,” Harry replies with another dimpled smile.

Eggsy smiles back a little goofily before he turns and joins his mum in the kitchen.

“Harry’s here?” Michelle asks when Eggsy walks in, his son nodding as he approaches the tray of cookies cooling on the counter. “Oh, perfect timing! I could use his help with the chocolate crinkles. I still can’t get them right.”

“He’s just placing the gifts he brought with him under the tree,” Eggsy informs his mum. He slowly moves his hand to grab a cookie, but his mum is quicker than he thought, slapping his hand away. “Ow! Aw, mum, c’mon.”

“No,” Michelle says firmly, lips twitching when she sees her son pouting. “You’re just like your father. There’s only two days left before you can munch on ‘em, silly.”

“Yeah, but they’re perfect to eat when it’s still hot,” Eggsy whines, just in time when Harry walks in. “Harry! Help a bruv out, will you?”

Harry turns to Michelle, who raises a challenging eyebrow at the older tailor. Harry then looks back at Eggsy who’s still pouting, then he shrugs and says, “Sorry, Eggsy, but your mother is right.”

His mum and Harry laugh at the same time when Eggsy fake gasps and sighs dramatically.

“Thank you, Harry,” Michelle says with a playful smirk. “Also, would you mind helping me with the chocolate crinkles again? I still can’t get the measurement and temperature right.”

Harry smiles kindly and nods. “Of course, Michelle. I’d be happy to help.”

“Thanks, luv,” Michelle answers with a relieved smile as she takes a step from the counter.

“Traitor,” Eggsy mouths at Harry with a feigned look of betrayal when his mum turns her back to them, about to put a second batch of cookies in the oven.

Harry rolls his eyes at him before he casts a look at Michelle who’s bent over fixing the timer of the oven. Then in the blink of an eye, Harry quickly reaches out a long, slender hand from the still-warm batch of cookies and then quickly tosses one to Eggsy. Catching it deftly in his hand, Eggsy fights back a shout of triumph as he hides the cookie behind his back, grinning wide like a Cheshire cat. Both men are aware that Michelle will find out sooner, so Eggsy doesn’t risk it and beats a hasty retreat.

He snatches a spare apron hanging from the side of the fridge and tosses it to Harry who swiftly catches it. Eggsy passes by the taller man and swiftly goes on his tip toes once more to leave a lingering kiss on the apple of Harry’s cheek and teasingly mutters a “Thanks, babe” in his ear.

Harry responds by gently squeezing his waist. There’s a tender smile on the tailor’s face when Eggsy rights himself, and with one last cheeky wink, he exits the kitchen.

Eggsy nearly bumps into his dad as he approaches the stairs. Lee opens his mouth to speak when he eyes the cookie in Eggsy’s hand.

“You didn’t,” his dad gasps in awe.

Eggsy sniggers and explains under his breath, “Harry nicked it for me.”

Lee chokes back a laugh as he eyes the baked good in his son’s hand. “Of course he did. May I —“

The younger blond shakes his head with a grin as he quickly sidesteps his dad. “Sorry, dad. I don’t —“

He’s barely finished his sentence when both Unwin men hear Michelle shriek.

“Gary Lee Unwin! You better have not eaten that cookie!”

“Harry nicked it and gave it to me!” Eggsy cries in smug satisfaction before he makes a run for his room and shoves half the cookie into his mouth. He almost chokes when he attempts to swallow and it goes down the wrong pipe.

“Traitor!” he hears Harry call out to him indignantly while his father howls with laughter and his mum starts to reprimand Harry.

The last thing he hears before he closes his bedroom door is the sound of Daisy demanding Lee that he carry her. Eggsy just grins and shoves the last half of the cookie into his mouth. He wipes his hands on his track pants before he takes his seat in front of his desk once more.

Now, if only he could concentrate on finishing Harry’s gift before the party, then Eggsy can count that as a Christmas miracle.

###### 

**December 25, 2012**

The party is already in full swing at the Morton household when Eggsy and his family arrive.

“Come in! Come in!” James greets enthusiastically, face flushed pink as a wide grin stretches across his handsome face. “Merry Christmas, darlings!”

“Merry Christmas, James — _oof_!”

Eggsy’s nose wrinkles as James bestows a sloppy kiss on his cheek, causing Lee and Michelle to snort in laughter. He discreetly wipes away the drool as their host bestows the same treatment upon Daisy’s cheeks, who giggles and hugs her honorary Uncle around the neck.

The young blond takes off his coat and hangs it on the rack, and then turns to help his little sister off of her purple parka before Daisy skips away from the group to the living room.

“Where’s Al?” Eggsy hears his mum ask.

He takes the paper bag from Michelle’s hand and starts for the kitchen, only hearing James’ faint voice as he replies, “Oh, he’s helping Gareth set up the sound system. Would you both like a drink?”

Eggsy enters the lavish kitchen, expecting to find Roxy or one of the servers, but instead he finds Harry closing the two-door refrigerator. The tailor looks at him over his shoulder and smiles upon laying eyes on the younger man.

“Hey, Harry,” Eggsy greets with a boyish grin. He carefully sets down the paper bag filled with Christmas goods prepared by his mum on the marble countertop as Harry approaches him. Eggsy suddenly stops in his tracks once he catches sight of his best friend’s outfit; it’s the usual dark tailored denim, polished oxfords, and the most horrendous Christmas jumper he’s ever laid eyes on. By the time Harry reaches him, Eggsy is looking at the offensive garment in horror as he chokes out, “What the fuck are you wearing?”

“And Merry Christmas to you, too,” answers Harry with an impish smile.

“No, seriously, mate. What the _fuck_ are you wearing?”

“A gag gift from Merlin.”

Eggsy snorts, looking up at the older man in disbelief.

“You’re taking the piss.”

In response, Harry sighs and replies, “I wish.”

Eggsy attempts to fight off a smirk but fails rather dismally. Instead, he stares once more at the jumper. It’s a navy blue in colour, and there are red and green fairy lights stitched across the fabric with a poorly stitched fireplace covering Harry’s torso where Santa’s red, plump bum was peeking out. To top it all off, the words _“Ho, Ho, Ho”_ were stitched at the bottom in elegant cursive. Eggsy remains silent, not knowing the right words to say.

After several seconds of silence, Harry decides to break it.

“It’s absolutely horrendous, isn’t it?”

Nodding, Eggsy’s solemn expression melts as he breaks out into laughter.

“It is! It really is,” Eggsy manages to say in between bouts of laughter. He wipes tears from his eyes as he adds, “And you love it, don’t you?”

Harry shrugs. Smirking, he adds, “I can’t wait to see the look on his face later when he sees me wearing it.”

This time, the two of them giggle at the mental image of Merlin’s reaction when he sees Harry wearing his gift.

“You’re horrible, Harry,” Eggsy says once their laughter subsides.

“I live to please,” Harry replies with a mock bow.

With a shake of his head in amusement, Eggsy smiles fondly up at the tailor. “Merry Christmas, you posh nerd.”

“Merry Christmas, Eggsy.”

Eggsy can see the dimples on Harry’s face as the latter grins back at him. But before either of them can say anything else, the kitchen door swings open behind them as Eggsy’s parents and their hosts enter. The young blond moves to the side so he’s standing beside Harry, so when Lee and Michelle look up from their conversation with James and Alastair, Eggsy ends up in stitches once more when his parents react to Harry’s jumper.

“Oh my God! What are you wearing?!” Michelle shrieks in horror.

Lee, on the other hand, stares at Harry’s torso for several moments before his eyes meet Harry’s mischievous ones.

“Merlin?” the older Unwin inquires, a smirk gracing his features.

“The one and only,” Harry quips back.

* * *

A couple of hours later finds Eggsy at the terrace of the Morton residence with Harry, the two catching up on what they’ve missed to tell each other in the few weeks they were apart. They each have a bottle of crafted beer, Eggsy leaning his arms against the balustrade while he observes Harry from the corner of his eye, the older man holding his drink in one hand while the other is inside his jeans’ pocket.

The sound of conversations and laughter from downstairs is slightly muffled, though Eggsy can still hear James’s raucous laughter along with his dad’s, as well as Gareth’s holiday playlist, Wham!’s “Last Christmas” thumping in the background. The young blond inhales the cool night air, eyes closed as he gets a sniff of pine cones mixed with the sweet aroma of the Christmas goods.

He’s so lost in his thoughts about past Christmases that he belatedly notices Harry has stopped talking to look at him.

“Are you okay, my dear boy?” Harry asks, and Eggsy turns to his best friend in surprise to see a small frown on the tailor’s face.

Eggsy grins, abashed. “Yeah, I’m fine, Harry. Sorry, my mind was wandering.”

The frown melts into a small smile as Harry continues to regard Eggsy. “A penny for your thoughts, then?”

“I was thinking of what Christmas used to be like — between when I was 8 and now at 21. So much has changed over the years, yet funnily enough some have stayed the same.”

“Hmm, I quite agree. But may I ask what you think stayed the same? Harry gently teases with a smile.

Eggs snorts and takes a swig of his beer, then he realises that it’s almost empty so he chugs the rest down, settling the empty bottle on the balustrade once he’s done. He turns his body to face Harry, and it takes Eggsy half a second to discern the lack of space between them. If he lifts his head a little more and goes on his tip toes, he’d be able to kiss Harry on the lips.

 _Fucking hell, Unwin. Get a grip on yourself, mate._ He inwardly shakes his head and focuses his attention on Harry, who’s still looking at him with an amused expression.

“Well,” Eggsy begins, clearing his throat. “It’s nothing important, really. They’re kinda more of the inconsequential sort than the, well, consequential, I guess. Like, there’s my parents’ friendship with James and Al — can’t remember a time when they haven’t had a great time being in each other’s presence. Then there’s the parties — I’m actually chuffed that Kingsman has continued to uphold the tradition, considering so many of the pioneer employees have left or, er, retired. So that bit’s good.”

“We are nothing but consistent,” Harry interrupts solemnly, adopting a haughty expression.

Harry’s face cracks into a fond smile when Eggsy barks out a short laugh. At the same time, his heart skips a beat and he feels a small lump starting to form in his throat upon seeing Harry’s warm expression. He shifts his stance and briefly feels the slight pressure of Harry’s gift taunting him from the back of his black jeans, and the blond wonders if now is the best time to give his gift to the man.

Not wanting to clue Harry in on what he’s thinking _now_ , Eggsy rolls his eyes and clears his throat once more.

“Sure, sure. Anyway — where was I? Oh, yeah. Well, Merlin’s still his awkward self, though he’s mellowed a lot ever since he’s started dating Rox. Oh, and we still open a gift the night before Christmas, so it’s pretty great that Daisy’s experiencing that, too. Mum still takes control of the kitchen for her baking. Dad still always does the decorations at home, and he still plays Frank Sinatra’s Christmas album every year without fault. Then there’s Daisy, whom I influenced to watch ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ since she was an infant. And…”

“And what about you?” Harry inquiries after Eggsy’s voice trails off.

Eggsy tilts his head a bit as he ponders on that. After several beats, he says, “I guess I’m keeping up the tradition of stealing at least a cookie without Mum noticing — thanks for that the other day, by the way — and I… still marathon ‘Love, Actually’ and the ‘Home Alone’ series before Christmas.” The young blond bites his lip as he teasingly adds, “Yeah, I think that’s it.”

Harry, unfazed, raises an eyebrow at him. “That’s it?”

“Yup.”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty darn, bruv. Why’d you ask?”

“I think you missed one.”

Eggsy feigns a look of confusion. “Did I?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Mind filling me in on that, then?”

Jesus, it’s a miracle that no one has bothered to find them yet. But Eggsy’s not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so he fights off a grin as Harry continues to put on an earnest expression.

“I’m not certain if I should. After all, it must be completely insignificant to you if it hasn’t crossed your mind by now.”

“Ah, but what if I try to guess it?”

“Hmm, I suppose that could work.”

“Aces! So, uh, does it have to do with me?”

“Yes.”

“Is it a tradition?”

“No.”

“An object?”

“Not an object. However, it _is_ tangible.”

“… A person, then?”

“Spot-on, Eggsy! You’re almost there.”

Eggsy wrinkles his nose. “Is it Gareth’s cheerier than normal disposition during the hols? ‘Cos let me tell you, even if his hugs are quite nice, there’s only so much energy I can take from him and he —“ But he never finishes his sentence as he’s cut off by Harry's sudden burst of laughter.

“You cheeky little brat,” Harry utters, laughter subsiding until he’s only chuckling.

Eggsy’s face splits into a shit-eating grin. “Oh! I remember now! It’s not Gareth, it’s you! Aw, Harry, of course.”

Harry shakes his head, face flushed from the cold breeze and his laughing fit. His warm brown eyes twinkle brighter than the fairy lights hanging across the balcony, and Eggsy thinks Harry’s the most beautiful man he’s ever laid eyes on.

“Can’t imagine what I would’ve ended up becoming if you weren’t in my life,” Eggsy continues more fondly this time. “Probably some street rat who steals cars and starts bar fights for shits and giggles.”

“Eggsy,” Harry starts but the younger man just shakes his head.

“Not true, I know. What are the odds of that even happening? Probably slim to none, but still. You may not’ve been there for me from day one, but what I know is that you’ve been there for me through everything I went through since I was 10. Even when I thought I didn’t need anyone, you were there. Aside from mum and dad, you’re the number one constant in my life, Harry. And believe me when I say that I’m gonna want you to continue being in my life for a long, long time. Possibly forever. Just saying.” He adds with a casual shrug, but inwardly Eggsy is freaking out because _he’s said too much, fuck_.

By the end of his impassioned speech, Harry’s previous look of amusement has slowly shifted into a soft, tender expression.

Eggsy feels himself blush deeply, and he bites his lip to refrain from groaning out loud. Before he can even consider making a run for it, he catches sight of Harry lifting a hand to cup Eggsy’s face. The callouses of Harry’s fingers against his neck and jaw lightly scratch the stubble Eggsy decided to grow out since yesterday morning, the weight of Harry’s hand familiar and soothing as the tailor slowly rubs his thumb against the curve of Eggsy’s jaw.

After a few beats, Harry speaks in a gruff voice. “You will always, _always_ , have me, Eggsy. Don’t you ever forget that. You are aware that I have no other family. Kingsman has become a second home since I can remember, and its people have become sort of a family to me as well. Having you in my life is as simple as breathing; so believe _me_ when I say that you are easily the most important thing to me.”

Eggsy remains silent, his thoughts muddled as the lump in his throat grows until it’s too uncomfortable to swallow. Eventually, as Harry continues to look deeply into his eyes, he settles by choking out, “What is it with Christmas that turns us into a bunch of bloody sentimental idiots?”

The comment does the trick. The solemn mood evaporates as Harry snorts in amusement, and he gently draws his hand away from Eggsy’s face. Eggsy immediately misses the contact, but he tries not to feel too bad about ruining the mood. God help him if he loses control and he ends up spilling his guts to Harry and confessing to the older man that he’s been in love with him since he was 17.

Fuck. Let’s take it one step at a time, yeah?

“I believe it’s the nostalgia of what the holidays mean to us growing up and what Christmas represents as a whole that sends people into a more emotional disposition.”

“Yeah? Then what _does_ Christmas represent to you then, Harry?”

Harry’s response comes quick. “You spend it with the people you love and care about most in the world. And then, you’re reminded of the universal truth that sometimes, what you really want is, ultimately, right in front of you.”

That last bit hit too close to home in Eggsy’s opinion, so he blinks and averts his gaze from Harry to stare at the grounds below them. If he weren’t so focused in his own musings, he would’ve become aware of the tailor looking at him intently. They remain quiet for a time, each lost in their thoughts yet comfortable in each other’s presence as they didn’t see a need to fill the silence between them. Eggsy eyes Harry from the corner of his eye — the fairy lights casting a warm glow around the taller man’s profile and making him look ethereal instead of sinister-looking.

He shifts his feet, the pressing weight of Harry’s gift against his right buttock causing Eggsy to remember that he has yet to give the man his gift. So he clears his throat and waits until Harry is looking at him with a curious expression.

“I have your gift with me.” Eggsy pulls the carefully wrapped present from his back pocket and hands it to Harry sheepishly. “Merry Christmas, Harry.”

Harry briefly looks surprised before a warm smile graces his handsome face when he accepts the gift. “Oh! Thank you, Eggsy. Your gift is downstairs, though. But can I…?”

He gestures to the rectangle package in his hand, and Eggsy nods his head to indicate that he can open it now.

“It’s not much, but —” Eggsy starts, but one look from Harry and he shuts his mouth before he can say anything else.

 _But everything I think and feel about you is in there and I hope to God that’ll clue you in on how I’m ridiculously arse over tits in love with you,_ is what Eggsy wants to say.

His palms are sweaty, there are butterflies fluttering aimlessly in his stomach, and he has half a mind to take back Harry’s gift and toss it out of the balcony. Unfortunately, before he can even consider taking a step closer, the older gentleman has finished meticulously tearing the wrapping paper and has opened the small box to stare at the item lying inside it.

Harry looks confused for a moment before he looks up at Eggsy. “An iPod?”

Eggsy musters enough strength to grin at him. “It’s a 6th gen iPod _Classic_ , Harry. With its 160GB capacity, you can have up to 40,000 songs in there!”

The smile on Harry’s face falters slightly. “Oh. That’s, well, that’s quite a lot of music, Eggsy. Thank you for this —”

Eggsy cuts him off with a sigh in mild exasperation. “Relax, mate, that’s not my gift.”

Harry looks at him in confusion. “I beg your pardon?”

This time, the grin Eggsy gives him is more genuine. “You know how people used to make each other mixtapes back then, yeah?” At Harry’s nod, Eggsy continues. “Well, this is my modern take on a mixtape. I know that you’re fond of collecting stuff, and it gave me the idea to give you music to collect. But since buying physical copies is a bit much, even for you, I thought that having them all stored in one device is a better option. Plus, with you traveling all the time, you can carry your iPod with you wherever you go. You’ll see that there are several playlists for each decade starting from the 40s; any genre you feel like listening to, it’s there! I also included albums of your favourite artists, like Elton John and ABBA. Oh, and I also made you a few playlists for when you’re away and you feel homesick, ‘cos God knows you _still_ feel homesick even after nearly twenty years of doing —“

Eggsy’s incessant babbling is suddenly cut off when Harry tells him to “Shut up, my dear boy” before he’s enveloped into a tight hug. The rest of what he wants to say dies on his lips as Eggsy subtly inhales Harry’s familiar scent. Unconsciously, his arms lift on their own accord to wrap around the taller man’s torso, his face resting on the crook of Harry’s neck.

“Thank you,” Harry whispers in his ear, and Eggsy is unable to fight off the shiver that runs down his spine when the former’s breath tickles his skin. “This is the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever received, and I have half a mind to lecture you about spending so much on a single gift —“

“Wasn’t that much,” Eggsy interjects, voice muffled against Harry’s horrible sweater.

“Still.”

“Was worth it,” Eggsy notes firmly.

“Eggsy —”

Eggsy huffs out a breath. “Shut up. You’re worth it, you dork.”

There’s a pregnant pause, and Eggsy reckons Harry is contemplating on what to say or do next when he feels Harry’s arms tighten around him. Feeling bold all of a sudden, Eggsy tilts his head upwards, and with his nose pressed against Harry’s neck, he plants a soft kiss on the bare skin he can reach. He feels Harry stiffen, and Eggsy thinks he must’ve made a mistake because Harry’s pulling back from the hug that he doesn’t want to escape from, but he has no choice so he starts to extract his arms from around Harry’s form. Only, Harry doesn’t completely pull away, so now Eggsy’s hands are firmly gripping his best friend’s trim waist, and it registers in him half a second later that his face is being framed by Harry’s long, slender fingers, the tailor’s face tilting closer to Eggsy’s and —

And between one breath and the next, the gears in Eggsy’s mind come to an abrupt halt when Harry’s warm, thin lips gently press against his. Swaying, Eggsy’s grip on Harry tightens as the tailor takes a step forward to close what little space was left between them. Mind going completely blank for the first time in, fuck, _ever_ , Eggsy finally surrenders to the emotions welling inside of him as he loses himself to the kiss.

Forget taking it one step at a time, he just parkoured his way into this moment.

The kiss starts soft and slow, and gradually it turns into something more — something wild, intense, and all-consuming. 

Despite being out in the cold for the past half hour, Harry’s mouth remains moist. This kiss is so much better from the one they shared several months ago when they rang in the New Year. This, Eggsy thinks, is the kind of kiss you share when you’re confident no one’s watching and you can do whatever the fuck you want.

Well, in Eggsy’s case, anyway.

So throwing all caution to the wind, Eggsy opens his mouth and takes Harry’s lower lip in between his, gently sucking as he boldly traces the shape of Harry’s mouth with his tongue. He hears Harry’s sharp intake of breath, and is pleasantly caught off guard when Harry retaliates by slightly pulling away, only to quickly bring his lips back to Eggsy’s and taking the younger man’s plump lower lip in between his, alternating between biting and sucking.

As heat starts to pool low in his groin, Eggsy can’t help the small moan that escapes him. Inwardly, he’s mortified and embarrassed at getting so carried away, but Harry must’ve liked it because the next thing Eggsy knows, the tailor has one possessive hand on the small of Eggsy’s back while the other wraps around the young blond’s neck. When Eggsy feels Harry’s blunt fingernails rake through the small hairs at the back of his neck, his heart stutters against his ribcage and he lets out a whimper that causes Harry to release a deep breath through his nose.

Harry tastes like the crafted beer they drank, yet there’s distinct taste of mint and _Harry_ that Eggsy can’t help but be addicted to. They continue to make out under the fairy lights, alternating between nibbling each other’s lips or, in Eggsy’s daring case, tracing Harry’s lips with a teasing tongue. Eggsy feels himself smirk against Harry’s succulent mouth when the taller man growls — a deep, primal sound coming from his throat that Eggsy finds _so fucking hot_ , he can’t help but clutch the man closer to him.

Distantly, he hears a noise like footsteps approaching — or was it a gasp? Who knows, it could’ve been either of them — but it must’ve been Eggsy’s imagination because the faint sound doesn’t continue. He doesn’t know how long they stand there, and frankly he doesn’t give a fuck if he loses his breath and faints, because _who needs air when he’s currently making out with the love of his fucking life?_

Eggsy’s dreamt of something similar to this happening since he was 17, and now that he’s experienced it, Eggsy knows he’ll never be able to get enough of this. Because now that he knows firsthand what it’s like to kiss Harry Hart — what he tastes like, how he feels pressed flush against Eggsy’s shorter form — Eggsy knows that there’s no turning back. That’s it, he’s ruined. He’s officially and utterly ruined to all men because this, right here, is what he really, truly wants. For the rest of his fucking life, ta very much.

After what feels like hours but only was for several minutes, their kissing soon calms down until they’re only trading small pecks. Eggsy’s nose crinkles in contentment when Harry moves to kiss each corner of his mouth before pecking him on the lips one last time and pulling away.

Harry’s hair is a _mess_. And it registers on Eggsy that somewhere along the way, his hands must’ve found purchase on Harry’s thick, brown locks. He pulls away with a blush, aware of Harry’s heated gaze still trained on him. He tries his best to ignore the tailor’s usually thin mouth looking, well, utterly ravaged, but he fails dismally. It’s red and swollen, pretty much like Eggsy’s, and the younger man wants to kiss him again.

It’s only through sheer force of will that he stops himself. Barely.

Still breathing heavily, the silence soon becomes too much, so Eggsy decides to break it in classic Eggsy Unwin™️ fashion.

“So is this gonna be a new tradition, then?” he cheekily grins at Harry, who looks momentarily nonplussed before his face settles into an amused expression. “’Cos Harry, if that’s the thanks I’m gonna get every time I give you something, I’m gonna be honest — I’m all for it.”

Harry chokes back a laugh, and Eggsy rakes a hand through his disheveled hair, inwardly wincing at his choice of words.

_Fucking hell, Unwin. Don’t ruin this, you bloody wanker._

“I don’t see why not,” Harry finally answers with a teasing smirk, thus breaking Eggsy from his thoughts.

It takes a few moments for Harry’s words to register in his brain, and when it does, it’s like the ground swallows him whole and spits him right back up, leaving him dumbfounded for another while.

“Uh…” Well, shit. Now he’s speechless.

_Fucking say something, Unwin!_

It’s only when he notices Harry’s teasing look shift to one of doubt, and then concern, that Eggsy ultimately finds his voice.

“Are you taking the piss?” Okay, _not_ what he wanted to say, exactly. Before Harry can so much as react or reply, Eggs is quick to add, “I mean — yeah. I’m fine with that. Best friends do that all the time, yeah? I think I know some people from uni who act like that with their friends. I think.”

“Is that so?” Harry asks slowly, one eyebrow raised.

Eggsy nods his head. “Yeah. I mean… it was a really nice kiss, Harry. Been a while for me since — uh, yeah.”

_Shut up shut up shut up, you’re making it worse!_

Fortunately — or not — Harry’s concerned expression melts into a look of half-amused, half-fond. There’s another emotion that Eggsy detects in Harry’s warm brown eyes, but it’s gone before he can put a name to it.

The corners of Harry’s swollen mouth twitch upwards before he coughs, eyes fleeting downwards and then back up to meet Eggsy’s. “I’m flattered, darling. It’s been a, huh — well, it’s been a while for me as well.”

 _Oh, Jesus_ , Eggsy tries not to melt into a puddle at the new endearment, so he bites the inside of his cheek to prevent from whimpering or making another awkward remark. Instead, Eggsy smiles shyly up at his best friend. The same best friend whom he’ve just made out with less than two minutes ago.

“Is that a yes?” Eggsy asks, somehow managing to sound both hopeful and disbelieving.

Harry pauses as he considers his words. “I — yes.”

Bloody hell. Did they just come to some sort of _agreement_?

Wow, okay.

Shit. How is this Eggsy’s life now?

“Are you alright?” Harry asks when Eggsy remains quiet, voice growing concerned.

Eggsy blinks and then nods, a small smile on his face. “Yeah, I’m alright. Are _you_ alright? Are _we_ alright?”

If possible, Harry’s expression softens upon hearing the worry tinged in Eggsy’s tone.

“We’re alright, Eggsy.”

“Okay. That’s good.”

“Alright.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, Eggsy.”

“Right.”

“Do you want to go back down? They’re probably going to start looking for us any minute now.”

“Yeah, okay.”  


Eggsy glances at his watch and is shocked to see that they’ve been up there for almost an hour now. Harry pockets his gift while Eggsy gets a hold of the two empty beer bottles in one hand before they walk together to get indoors. Belatedly, Eggsy glances up and sees a familiar plant hanging over the threshold they’re crossing over, and before he can have second thoughts he halts in his steps, Harry following suit.

“What’s wrong?” Harry asks, brows furrowed.

Eggsy considers Harry silently, a smirk slowly forming on his face. As an answer, he pointedly stares above them. Harry glances up and upon seeing the mistletoe, the young blond can’t help but chuckle when Harry snorts and rolls his eyes good-naturedly.

“Are you going to be this insatiable from now on?” Harry expresses with a raised eyebrow. However, his actions say otherwise when he takes a step closer towards Eggsy.

Eggsy shrugs and looks at the tailor innocently as he draws a hand up to wrap around Harry’s neck. “I’m just saying, it’s tradition.”

“And you’re one for traditions, aren’t you?” Harry murmurs as their noses brush against each other.

“Well, of course I —”

For the second time that night, Eggsy’s reply is cut off when he’s pulled into another breathtaking kiss. The distant notes of Shakin' Stevens' "Merry Christmas, Everyone" playing over the speakers from the Morton household becomes an inaudible sound as Eggsy loses himself once again to his best friend’s ravishing lips.

It can only get better from here.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to speak to me on tumblr, I'm agenthartwin there.  
> And oh, please let me know what you think! Reviews are motivation (and love)! :)


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